f 


Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/wanderingsonitalOOIees 


The  Via  Palma  and  San  Siro,  San  Kemo 


WANDERINGS  ON  THE 
ITALIAN  RIVIERA 

THE  RECORD  OF  A  LEISURELY  TOUR  IN  LIGURIA 


By   Frederic  Lees 

Author  of  "A  Summer  in  Touraine  " 
With  a  Frontispiece  in  Colour 

By    Edith    S.  Lees 

Sixty  photographic  illustrations  by  the  Author 
and  a  Map 


"  Give  to  me  the  life  I  love, 
Let  the  lave  go  by  me ; 
Give  the  jolly  heaven  above, 
And  the  by-way  nigh  me." 

R.  L.  Stevenson. 


LITTLE, 


BOSTON 
BROWN,  AND  COMPANY 


A  DEDICATORY  LETTER  TO  J.  K. 

ANTIQUARY 

Member  of  the  Societa  Ligure  di  Storia  Patria, 
San  Remo 

Amico  carissimo, 

The  call  of  the  North  has  been  answered, 
and  here  I  am  once  more  in  my  native  land, 
with  a  gray  sky  overhead  and  a  cold  wind 
whistling  down  the  street.  But  as  I  write 
my  thoughts  are  elsewhere.  The  sound  of 
the  sea  is  in  my  ears,  and  a  succession  of 
southern  visions  pass  before  my  mental 
eye.  ...  I  can  hear  the  rhythmical  beat  of  the 
Mediterranean  on  the  shore  of  the  Ligurian 
Sea.  I  can  see  the  intense  blue  of  the  water, 
the  white  foam  on  the  beach,  the  irregular 
line  of  the  coast,  with  its  creeks  and  bays 
and  amphitheatres  of  hills,  the  purple  peaks 
of  distant  mountains  rising  into  the  azure, 
the  white  and  red  houses  of  townlets  and 
villages  clustering  here  and  there  above  the 
shore,  and,  out  in  the  open,  the  triangular 
sails  of  little  fleets  of  feluccas,  resembling 
huge  white  mythical  birds  floating  upon  the 


vi      Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


waves.  .  .  .  Ah  !  now  the  scene  has  changed. 
I  am  on  a  steep  mule  path  which  zigzags 
np  a  terraced  hillside,  clad  with  ohves,  and 
as,  at  a  point  where  the  stony  way  winds 
beneath  a  rocky  buttress,  I  turn  round  to 
rest  and  admire  the  landscape,  an  exquisite 
view  of  the  Mediterranean  and  a  coast  town 
nestling  at  the  base  of  a  promontory  appears 
enframed  within  an  opening  in  the  gray- 
green  leaves  of  the  trees.  Soon  the  ancient 
way  takes  me  out  of  sight  of  the  sea,  and, 
proceeding  over  hills  and  into  valleys,  cleft 
by  the  rushing  waters  of  mountain  torrents, 
leads  to  one  of  the  hill-towns  of  Liguria,  a 
mass  of  gray,  weather-beaten  houses  proudly 
perched  on  the  crest  and  topmost  ridge  of 
a  mountain.  It  stands  in  the  defiant  attitude 
of  an  eagle  which  has  built  its  nest  on  a 
high  crag  and  is  ever  on  the  watch  for  its 
enemies — as,  indeed  it  was,  in  the  turbulent 
days  of  the  Middle  Ages.  In  what  a  fine 
strategical  position  it  is  placed  !  and  what  a 
view  of  the  valley  can  be  obtained  from  the 
point  where  the  pathway  enters,  as  though 
through  the  portal  of  a  feudal  castle,  an 
ancient  gateway  leading  into  its  narrow, 
tortuous  streets  !  Far  below  my  feet  winds 
the  main  torrent,  at  this  distance  a  mere 


Introductory 


vii 


thread  of  water  shining  in  the  sun  ;  oHve 
groves  and  vineyards  cover  the  sides  of  the 
broad  valley,  and  here  and  there,  within  the 
folds  of  the  hills,  are  other  towns  and  villages, 
each  likewise  holding  itself  aloof  from  the 
world,  under  the  protection  of  a  church  with 
a  tall,  painted  tower.  .  .  .  But  once  more  my 
surroundings  have  changed.  I  am  walking 
through  the  streets  of  a  cittd  where  every- 
thing carries  me  back  to  mediaeval  Italy. 
There  are  ancient,  picturesque  gates  in  its 
crumbling  circle  of  walls  ;  the  narrow  streets 
are  bordered  by  stately  houses,  with  sculp- 
tured doorways,  spacious  vestibules,  and 
marble  staircases,  whilst  carved  shrines  and 
paintings  in  honour  of  the  Madonna  adorn 
many  a  street  corner.  .  .  .  And  thus,  as  I 
write  to  you  from  this  dear  land  of  cloudy 
skies,  the  mental  pictures  pass  one  by  one 
before  me,  each  a  delightful  record  of  some 
part  of  the  fourteen  months  I  spent  in 
Liguria,  wandering  along  the  shores  and 
up  the  green  valleys  of  your  native  province, 
or  else  basking  in  the  sunshine  in  your 
incomparable  gardens. 

To  complain  of  one's  fate  is  a  common 
sin  among  Westerners,  but  how  often  we 
have  reason  to  bless  the  ills  which  momentarily 


viii     Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


assail  us  !  I,  at  any  rate,  shall  never  regret 
that  necessity  directed  my  steps  towards 
Italy.  Times  without  number  have  I  con- 
gratulated myself  on  having  found  there  a 
new  country,  a  new  language,  and,  what  is 
better  than  either,  a  new  friend.  How  well 
I  remember  the  day,  amico  carissimo^  when 
I  crossed  your  little  sunlit  piazza,  and,  in 
search  of  books  to  increase  my  knowledge  of 
the  history  of  Liguria,  entered  the  door  of 
your  shop  !  Fortune,  indeed,  led  me  kindly 
by  the  hand  on  that  memorable  afternoon ; 
for,  among  the  pictures  of  Saints  and  Ma- 
donnas, silver  and  ivory  crucifixes,  lengths  of 
ancient  lace,  and  the  innumerable  curios  which 
every  diligent  antiquary  manages  to  collect 
around  him,  I  found  what  was  better  than 
a  whole  library  of  Ligurian  literature — your- 
self— and,  a  little  later,  when  our  acquaintance 
ripened  into  friendship,  such  an  offer  of 
assistance  as  few  travellers  have  enjoyed. 
It  happened  that  the  time  had  come  when 
both  of  us  had  need  to  become  wayfarers. 
Your  collection  of  antiquities  needed  replen- 
ishing, whilst  I,  for  my  part,  wished  to 
obtain  a  personal  knowledge  of  those  natural 
beauties  of  which  Charles  Dickens  and  John 
Addington  Symonds  (to  mention  only  two 


Introductory 


IX 


of  the  many  cultured  travellers  who  have 
found  the  coast  of  Liguria  unsurpassed  for 
purely  idyllic  loveliness  by  anything  in  the 
South)  have  written  so  enthusiastically  in 
their  Italian  Sketch  Books.  So  you  pro- 
posed— and  the  bargain  was  promptly  sealed 
— that  we  should  go  forth  together  :  you  in 
quest  of  curios,  I  in  search  of  the  picturesque. 

And  now  let  me  acknowledge  the  debt  I 
owe  you.  Though  my  knowledge  of  the 
glorious  history  of  Liguria  was  by  no  means 
slight  before  we  set  out  on  our  wanderings, 
it  had  the  defect  of  being  gained  purely  from 
books  :  it  had  not  yet  become  that  Hving 
knowledge  into  which  history  is  transformed 
when  read  in  conjunction  with  a  country's 
historical  monuments.  This  was  the  point 
of  view  which  you  taught  me  to  take,  and 
which,  as  far  as  was  possible,  I  have  endeav- 
oured to  set  forth  in  the  following  record  of 
our  journey. 

To  you,  again,  is  due  no  small  part  of  the 
credit  for  having  inspired  me  to  write  these 
pages.  So  many  English-speaking  people 
annually  come  to  Liguria,  either  in  search  of 
health  or  bent  on  travel,  that,  if  you  re- 
member, we  many  times  agreed  that  a  book  on 
the  history  and  landscape  of  the  province 


X 


Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


would  be  of  value  both  to  fireside  travellers 
and  those  who  might  choose  to  follow  in  our 
footsteps.  Many  of  those  who  make  it  their 
winter  residence  have  but  a  faint  knowledge 
of  the  splendid  story  of  the  province  which 
gave  birth  to  Columbus,  and  where  the 
immortal  Dante  wandered.  Especially  is  this 
so  in  the  case  of  the  valleys  of  Liguria  and 
the  beautiful  little  hill-towns  buried  away  in 
the  mountains  ;  consequently  I  have  devoted 
many  pages  to  a  description  of  the  banks  of 
the  numerous  great  torrents,  whose  windings 
we  followed  during  our  three  months' 
wanderings. 

But  I  have  written  not  merely  for  the 
tourist.  Amor  mi  mosse,  che  mi  fa  parlare^ 
to  quote  the  words  which  Dante  puts  into 
the  mouth  of  Beatrice  when  she  comes  from 
Paradise  to  speak  with  Virgil  on  behalf  of 
\  her  lover  ;  and  verily  this  record  has,  to  a 
great  extent,  been  penned  for  the  personal 
satisfaction  which  is  gained  by  recalling 
those  many  happy  days  which  I  spent  in 
sunny  Italy  with  my  old  friend  of  San  Remo. 
Permit  me,  therefore,  to  dedicate  these  pages 
to  you,  and  believe  me  to  be,  ever  yours 
affectionately,  F.  L. 

London,  February,  1912. 


CONTENTS 


A  Dedicatory  Letter  to  J.  K.,  Anti- 

quary   

V 

•  I. 

Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia  and 

Back  to  the  Sea  .... 

1 

II. 

On  the  Road  to  San  Remo  . 

34 

III. 

BussANA  :  Old  and  New 

62 

IV. 

On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina 

72 

V. 

The  Impero  and  the  Arroscia  . 

98 

VI. 

Albenga  ...... 

121 

VII. 

Along  the  Coast  :  to  Finalmarina  . 

144 

VIII. 

Along  the  Coast  :  to  Genoa 

170 

IX. 

Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  . 

208 

X. 

A  Visit  to  Torriglia  .... 

241 

XI. 

Along  the  Coast  :  to  Monte  Portofino 

257 

XII. 

PORTOFINO  AND  NEIGHBOURHOOD  . 

272 

VTTT 
A.lii. 

oEblRl  J_yEVANiE  AJND   VAKEbE  1-»1GUKE 

Zoo 

XIV. 

From  Borgotaro  to  Spezzia  and  Beyond 

299 

Appendix  ...... 

319 

Index   

337 

xi 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  Via  Palma  and  San  Siro,  San  Remo  Frontispiece 

PAGE 

Bajardo  1 

dolceacqua  16 

PiGNA  20 

Covered  Piazza  at  Pigna  ....  33 
Ancient  Gateway  at  Bordighera  ...  34 
San  Remo  from  the  Molo  ....  50 
The  Porta  San  Giuseppe,  San  Remo  .  .  56 
A  Shrine  in  Old  San  Remo  .       .       .  .61 

Bussana  Vecchia  .62 

BussANA  Vecchia  and  the  Arma  Valley  .  64 
The  Ruined  Church,  Old  Bussana  .  .  68 
The  Cemetery,  Old  Bussana  .  .  .  .71 
RuFFiNi's  House  at  Taggia  ....  72 

Taggia  76 

A  Street  in  Taggia.  82 

Lampedusa     ......  90 

Triora  97 

Camel-back  Bridge  at  Pieve  di  Teco  .  .  98 
Pieve  di  Teco  112 

xiii 


xiv  List  of  Illustrations 

PAGE 

Roadside  Chapel  with  Frescoes,  Arroscia 

Valley   120 

Albenga  Cathedral   121 

A  Portion  of  the  Baptistery,  Albenga  .  .126 

Albenga   138 

The  Ruined  Castle  at  Alassio     .       .       .  143 

Spanish  Triumphal  Arch  at  Finalmarina     .  144 

The  Way  to  the  Sanctuary  of  Santa  Lucia  .  148 

Castel  Gavone   158 

A  Wayside  Church  in  the  Arroscia  Valley  .  168 
Finalborgo — the  Church  and  Part  of  the  Old 

Wall   169 

The  Arcades  of  Noli   170 

The  "  Golden  Way  "  at  Noli       .       .       .  186 

Savona   200 

The  Pancaldo  Tower  at  Savona   .       .       .  207 

The  Banco  di  San  Giorgio,  Genoa.       .       .  208 

A  Renaissance  Doorway  in  Old  Genoa.  .  210 
The  Doria  Palace,  Genoa,  as  seen  from  the 

Gardens   226 

Charles  Dickens's  "  Pink  Jail  "  at  Genoa  .  234 
Fountain  in  the  Gardens  of  the  Doria 

Palace,  Genoa   240 

The  Valley  of  the  Bisagno,  Genoa       .  .241 

TORRIGLIA  AND  THE  RUINS  OF  ITS  FEUDAL  CASTLE  246 

TORRIGLIA         .          .         .         .          .         .          .  256 


List  of  Illustrations 


XV 


PAGE 

San  Fruttuoso  from  the  Sea.       .       .       .  257 

The  Harbour  of  Camogli  ....  262 
View  of  the  Riviera  from  Monte  Portofino, 

LOOKING  TOWARDS  GeNOA       ....  266 

The  Crypt  at  San  Fruttuoso  ....  271 

Santa  Margherita   272 

Portofino   274 

Lace-makers  at  Portofino    ....  278 

Rapallo  and  the  Tigulian  Gulf    .       .       .  282 

The  Castle  of  Rapallo        ....  285 

The  River  Entella   286 

Sestri  Levante   292 

Varese  Ligure   294 


Early  Christian  Art  at  Varese  Ligure  .  298 
The  Bay  of  Spezzia  from  the  Hill  above 

PORTOVENERE   299 

MONTEROSSO  AL  MaRE   302 

Lerici  and  its  Castle   306 

Shelley's  House,  the  Casa  Magni,  at  San 

Terenzo   318 

Pergola  and  Ornamental  Basin  in  Herr 

Winter's  Garden  near  Bordighera    .       .  319 

Aloes  in  Flower  on  a  Ligurian  Wayside      .  335 

Map  end  of  hook 


Bajardo 


Wanderings  on  the 
Italian  Riviera 


CHAPTER  I 

UP  THE  VALLEY  OF  THE  NERVIA  AND  BACK 
TO  THE  SEA 

I  CAN  assure  you,  amico  mio/'  said  the 
Antiquary,  when  we  were  well  upon  the  road 
which  leads  from  Ventimiglia  towards  the 
Nervia  valley,     that  the  dry  facts  of  the 

I — (2230) 


2      Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


historian  will  assume  a  different  aspect  during 
our  three  months'  wanderings.  Books  can 
teach  us  much,  but  the  picture  is  never  really 
complete  until  we  have  shouldered  our  knap- 
sacks and  gone  forth  to  find  the  traces  of  our 
ancestors.  Ah  !  how  living  history  becomes 
when  it  is  read  not  merely  on  the  printed  page, 
but  on  the  hills  and  in  the  dales  and  along 
the  highways  and  by-ways  ! 

That  students  do  far  too  little  towards 
supplementing  their  book  knowledge  by  travel 
and  a  personal  inspection  of  a  country's 
historical  landmarks  was  one  of  my  brother 
wayfarer's  favourite  themes,  and  he  was  in  a 
mood,  on  that  bright  September  morning, 
to  press  the  point  home.  I  did  my  best 
to  aid  the  current  of  his  thought  ;  for  I  knew 
how  competent  he  was  to  speak  about  the 
antiquities  of  the  ancient  Italian  province 
which  we  had  set  out  to  explore.  There 
was  not  a  yard  of  Liguria  which  he  did  not 
know.  Year  after  year  his  work  had  taken 
him  there — and  ever  on  foot  :  now  along  the 
Cornice,  now  along  the  roads  leading  up  the 
valleys,  linked  together  by  a  network  of 
innumerable  ancient  mule-paths,  the  smallest 
of  which  his  feet  had  trod.  And  thus,  in 
course  of  time,  he  had  traversed  its  entire 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


3 


length  and  breadth,  as  defined  by  Augustus 
— from  the  Magra  at  one  end  to  the  Varo  at 
the  other,  and  between  the  boundaries  of  the 
Mediterranean  and  the  Po.  Few  other  parts 
of  the  world,  according  to  him,  possessed 
such  varied  interests  as  Liguria — few  other 
places  were  so  worthy  of  being  visited  by  the 
traveller — and,  above  all,  few  other  provinces 
could  boast  of  so  many  still  visible  proofs  of 
their  great  antiquity.  This  method  of  reading 
the  story  of  a  people's  progress,  and  the  many 
evident  advantages  which  it  presented  to  the 
specialist  and  dilettante  alike,  was,  as  I  have 
said,  one  of  my  old  friend's  favourite  topics, 
and  so,  by  the  time  our  feet  had  fallen  into 
step,  I  found  myself  listening  to  an  outline 
of  the  history  of  his  province,  based,  for  the 
most  part,  on  what  we  might  expect  to  see 
during  our  travels. 

Though  the  origin  of  the  ancient  Ligurians 
is  by  no  means  clear,  tradition  and  the 
researches  of  the  paleontologist  concord  in 
identifying  them  with  those  races  which, 
at  a  time  when  the  lowlands  were  for  the  most 
part  covered  with  water,  inhabited  the  moun- 
tains of  Italy.  To  the  early  Greek  writers, 
who  named  them  first  Ligui  and  then  Ligures, 
they  were  the  people  of  the  western  shores  of 


4      Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


the  Mediterranean  ;  but  that  they  had  a  much 
earher  origin  and  were  known  by  the  name  of 
Ambroni,  Ambri,  or  Ombri,  as  many  place 
names  in  northern  Italy  show,  is  evident. 
An  ancient  inscription  on  the  architrave 
of  the  right-hand  side  of  the  principal  nave  of 
the  Cathedral  of  San  Lorenzo,  in  Genoa, 
attributes  the  foundation  of  that  essentially 
Ligurian  city  to  Janus,  King  of  the  Aborigines, 
and  we  shall  probably  not  be  far  from  the 
truth  in  concluding  that  the  Ligurians  and 
the  Aborigines  were  one  and  the  same,  and 
that  their  descent  towards  the  littoral  was 
preceded  by  a  very  long  period  of  time — 
the  traditional  Golden  Age — during  which 
their  activity  was  confined  to  the  mountain 
regions.  One  of  the  most  striking  features 
of  Liguria,  due  to  its  special  geographical 
conditions,  is  its  caverns,  and  the  prehistoric 
remains  which  they  have  been  found  to 
contain  throw  a  very  important  light  on  the 
habits  and  customs  of  the  races  of  fifty  to  a 
hundred  centuries  ago.  The  curious  rock 
drawings  met  with  in  many  parts  of  the 
mountains  aid,  too,  in  summoning  before  the 
imaginative  traveller  a  fairly  comprehensive 
picture  of  those  early  days. 

Owing    to    their    peculiar  geographical 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


5 


position,  the  Ligurians  came  into  touch  with 
civihzation  from  two  directions  :  they  entered 
into  commercial  relations  with  the  Celtic 
races  of  the  valley  of  the  Po  and  with  the 
Greeks  who  approached  by  way  of  the  sea. 
The  earlier  navigators  of  the  Mediterranean, 
the  Phoenicians,  do  not  appear  to  have  been 
successful  in  establishing  colonies  in  Liguria. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  Greeks,  after  taking 
possession  of  Sicily  and  Southern  Italy, 
obtained,  in  the  seventh  century  B.C.,  com- 
plete mastery  of  the  Ligurian  Sea.  Genoa, 
like  Aleria  and  Marseilles  a  century  later, 
became  an  important  commercial  port. 
Tangible  evidence  of  this  Grecian  occupation 
and  its  influence  on  the  customs  of  the  Genoese, 
was  brought  to  light  in  1898,  when,  whilst 
making  the  new  Via  XX  Settembre,  some 
crematory  tombs,  attributed  to  the  fifth 
century  a.d.,  were  discovered.  As  the  early 
Ligurians  buried  their  dead,  a  great  change 
had  evidently  taken  place  in  their  practices. 

Face  to  face  with  the  allied  Etruscans  and 
Carthaginians,  the  influence  of  Greece  began 
gradually  to  decline,  and  was  finally  replaced 
by  that  of  her  competitors.  Questions  of 
interest  probably  prevented  the  Ligurians 
from  coming  into  very  close  relations  with  the 


6      Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


former  race,  but  Polybius  shows  that  they 
were  on  excellent  terms  with  the  latter.  They 
acted  as  mercenaries  in  the  Carthaginian 
army,  and  the  Romans,  in  their  treaties  with 
the  Carthaginians,  made  it  a  condition  that 
they  should  no  longer  raise  troops  in  Liguria. 

At  the  close  of  the  second  Carthaginian 
War,  the  Romans,  comprehending  the  impor- 
tance of  Liguria  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
security  of  the  Empire,  undertook  the  long 
and  difficult  task  of  subjugating  its  inhabit- 
ants ;  and  it  was  at  this  period  that  the 
Ligurians  began  to  assume  a  really  prominent 
part  in  history.  One  must  beware,  however, 
of  accepting  the  biased  statements  which 
are  to  be  found  in  the  works  of  Livy  and  other 
Latin  writers.  All  who  were  without  the 
Empire  were  barbarians,  consequently  the 
Ligurians,  to  the  zealous  chroniclers  of  the 
mighty  deeds  of  Rome,  were  but  savage 
cave-dwellers,  clothed  in  skins,  and  devoid 
of  even  the  most  primitive  social  organisation.  ^ 
Fortunately,  this  false  view  can  be  corrected 
by  means  of  a  magnificent  document  which 
was  discovered  at  Isosecco,  near  Pedemonte, 

1  "  To  other  than  Roman  writers,  the  Ligurians  were 
distinguished  for  their  sobriety,  the  simphcity  of  their 
customs ,  and  especially  their  indomitable  courage . ' '  Arturo 
Issel's  Liguria  Geologica  e  preistorica,  Genoa,  1892. 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia  7 


in  1506,  and  which  can  be  seen  in  one  of  the 
rooms  of  the  Municipal  Palace  in  Genoa. 
Whilst  working  in  the  fields  a  peasant 
unearthed  a  bronze  plate,  measuring  forty- 
eight  centimetres  in  length  and  thirty-eight 
centimetres  in  breadth,  and  bearing  an  inscrip- 
tion which  was  found  to  be  a  judicial  decision 
delivered  in  Rome  in  the  year  117  B.C.  in 
regard  to  a  territorial  dispute  between  the 
Ligurians  of  Genoa  and  those  of  Langasco, 
in  the  Polcevera  valley.  The  judgment  shows 
that  the  people  of  Liguria  had  already,  at 
the  time  of  the  Roman  conquest,  reached  a 
comparatively  high  state  of  civilization.  They 
had  long  since  abandoned  the  savage  life  of 
the  troglodyte  and  had  passed  from  shep- 
herdism  to  agriculture  ;  they  held  their  land  on 
lease  from  their  compatriots  of  the  littoral, 
who  were  devoted  to  commerce  ;  and  they 
were  divided,  like  the  people  of  ancient 
Greece,  into  a  number  of  small  races,  each 
possessing  its  definite  area  of  territory. 

It  was  largely  owing,  doubtless,  to  these 
sub-divisions,  and  consequent  lack  of  union, 
that  they  failed  to  withstand  the  Roman 
legions.  But  the  conquest  of  Liguria  was  no 
easy  one,  and  it  was  only  by  massacre  and 
transportation    that    the    invaders  finally 


8      Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


succeeded  in  taking  possession  of  the 
country. 

The  introduction  of  Roman  civiUzation 
into  Liguria  marked  an  era  of  prosperity 
which  has  lasted  even  until  the  present  day. 
Genoa,  which  had  early  espoused  the  cause  of 
the  invaders,  was  rebuilt  and,  once  more 
becoming  a  port,  shared  with  Pisa  and 
Marseilles,  now  that  Carthage  was  destroyed, 
the  commercial  supremacy  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean. The  country  was  opened  up  to 
commerce  by  means  of  roads  and  trading 
centres,  which  after  a  time  developed  into 
towns.  The  Via  Postumia  led  from  Genoa  to 
Piacenza,  and  thence  as  far  as  Aquileia ;  whilst 
the  Via  AureUa  followed  the  coast  from  Pisa  to 
Vado,  where  it  was  met  by  the  Via  Julia 
Augusta,  which,  after  coming  from  Tortona,  by 
way  of  Acqui,  continued  along  the  coast,  past 
Albenga  and  Ventimiglia,  right  into  Gaul. 

Well-preserved  portions  of  these  great 
thoroughfares — ^to  mention  only  one  part  of 
the  work  of  the  Roman  architects  and 
builders — are  frequently  met  with  by  the 
traveller  in  Liguria.  He  finds,  too,  that 
later  periods  in  history  have  also  left  their 
indelible  mark  on  the  face  of  the  country. 
The  Byzantine  epoch  is  represented  in  the 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


9 


architecture  of  a  number  of  early  Christian 
edifices,  whilst  recollections  of  the  Middle 
Ages  are  constantly  revived  by  many  an 
ancient  ruin.  He  can  picture,  for  instance, 
how  great  must  have  been  the  agitation  in 
Genoa,  in  641,  amongst  the  numerous  Italian 
refugees  who  had  collected  there,  when  the 
news  came  that  the  Lombards,  who  had 
occupied  Milan  since  570,  had  invaded 
Liguria.  For  it  was  then  that  the  wall 
running  from  the  hill  of  Sant'  Andrea  to 
San  Siro,  and  the  remains  of  which  were 
recently  brought  to  light  among  the  founda- 
tions of  the  Convent  of  Sant'  Andrea,  was 
erected.  As  to  the  days  when  the  feudal 
system  was  established,  after  the  Papacy  and 
the  Itahan  nationalist  party,  tired  of  the 
Lombardian  domination  and  eager  to  revive 
the  ancient  empire  of  the  West,  called 
Charlemagne  to  their  aid  and  crowned  him 
Emperor  in  Rome  at  the  close  of  799,  how 
vividly  they  are  recalled  by  the  many 
picturesque  castles  in  the  valleys  of  Liguria  ! 
And  again,  there  are  the  towers  along  the 
coast  and  the  villages  hidden  away  in  the 
most  inaccessible  parts  of  the  hills  to  serve  as 
a  perpetual  reminder  of  the  Saracen  raids  of 
the  eighth,  ninth,  and  tenth  centuries.  .  .  . 


10    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


But  is  it  possible  to  point  to  an  epoch  in  the 
varied  and  stirring  history  of  Liguria  which 
is  not  illuminated  by  ancient  monuments  ? 
My  companion  did  not  think  so.  All  times, 
he  promised  me,  were  richly  represented  :  the 
Commune  of  Genoa  and  its  Renaissance  ;  the 
two  centuries  of  warfare  between  the  Guelfs 
and  the  Ghibellines,  led  by  the  Fieschis  and 
the  Grimaldis  on  the  one  hand,  and  by  the 
Spinolas  and  the  Dorias  on  the  other  ;  the 
establishment  of  the  Republic  and  its  con- 
stant but  vain  efforts  to  bring  the  towns  of 
Liguria  under  its  dominion  ;  the  centuries 
when  the  city  again  had  recourse  to  the 
foreigner  and — in  the  days  of  the  great 
Andrea  Doria — came  under  the  domination 
of  Spain  ;  and,  finally,  its  slow  decay  in  the 
seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries. 

Before  leaving  VentimigHa  I  had  done  my 
best,  under  the  antiquary's  enthusiastic 
guidance,  to  throw  myself  back  into  the  past 
of  his  beloved  province.  And  I  was  grateful 
to  him  for  his  inspiring  aid.  For  to  me 
VentimigHa  had  been  known  merely  as  a  very 
exasperating  stopping  place  on  the  way  into 
Italy.  It  was  merely  an  international  railway 
station,  on  the  boundary  line  between  France 
and  Italy — the  spot  where  there  is  fifty-five 


up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


11 


minutes  difference  in  time  between  the  clocks 
of  Paris  and  those  of  Central  Europe  ;  the 
spot  where  weary  travellers  wait  for  their 
luggage  to  be  opened  and  examined  by  exact- 
ing custom-house  officers.  But  on  leaving 
the  station  I  found  that  Ventimiglia  was 
something  more  than  a  place  of  martyrdom. 
On  the  slope  of  the  hill  above  the  broad  bed 
of  the  Roja,  which,  as  one  of  the  principal 
rivers  of  Liguria,  is  mentioned  by  Pliny  the 
Elder,  and  by  Lucan,  under  the  name  of 
Rutuba,  are  grouped  the  picturesque  houses 
of  the  old  town,  with  the  ruins  of  the  castle 
of  the  Counts  of  VentimigHa — the  castle 
around  which  the  inhabitants  took  refuge  in 
the  Middle  Ages  when  constant  strife  reigned 
between  Ventimiglia  and  Genoa.  The  manner 
in  which  they  are  clustered  together — not 
with  an  air  of  fear,  but  as  though  for  attack, 
admirably  sums  up  that  long  struggle  for 
the  sovereignty  of  the  Httle  coast  towns. 
In  1130  the  reigning  Count  of  Ventimiglia 
went  to  Genoa  to  bend  the  knee  and  swear 
fidelity  to  the  Commune,  but  his  subjects — 
conscious  of  their  rights  and  their  strength — 
more  than  once  rebelled,  and,  indeed,  were 
not  subjugated  until  1222,  after  many  a 
strenuous  fight. 


12    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Our  ramble  in  the  old  town  was  followed 
by  a  visit  to  the  cathedral  and  baptistery, 
which  are  classed  among  the  national  monu- 
ments of  Italy.  The  former  is  on  the  plan 
of  a  basilica,  with  three  naves,  and  it  was 
built  on  the  remains  of  a  temple  dedicated 
to  Juno.  In  1842,  having  suffered  consider- 
able damage  in  the  thirteenth,  seventeenth, 
and  nineteenth  centuries  through  earthquake 
and  neglect,  it  was  abandoned.  Two  parties 
then  arose,  one  in  favour  of  its  destruction 
and  the  building  of  a  new  church,  and  the 
other  in  favour  of  restoration.  Fortunately 
the  latter  gained  the  day.  But  the  work 
was  so  ill  done  that  it  had  to  be  started 
entirely  over  again,  this  time  under  the  skilful 
direction  of  Count  Edouardo  Arborio  Mella. 
Work  was  begun  in  1875  and  concluded  two 
years  later.  As  far  as  possible  the  building 
was  restored  to  its  pristine  state.  The  deco- 
rative part  is  due  to  Giuseppe  Costa,  the 
frescoes  to  Antonio  Hartman.  At  present 
the  cathedral  contains  eight  altars,  but  origin- 
ally there  were  only  four  ;  and  at  one  time 
it  possessed  numerous  famous  relics,  including 
precious  silver  ornaments.  Now,  its  only 
possessions  are  the  coffer  and  bust  of 
San  Secondo,  the  principal  patron  saint  of 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


13 


Ventimiglia.  The  three  chapels  preceding  the 
bell  tower  are  thirteenth  century  construc- 
tions. Adjoining  this  cathedral  is  the 
baptistery,  which  architectural  authorities 
consider  is  one  of  the  finest  examples  of  early 
Christian  buildings.  It  was  doubtless  built 
in  the  fifth  century.  Its  form  is  octagonal, 
exactly  eight  metres,  forty-three  centimetres 
in  diameter,  not  including  the  eight  little 
niches — four  of  them  semicircular  and  four 
rectangular — which  surround  it.  The  height 
of  these  niches  is  six  metres  fifty  centimetres, 
and  above  their  round  arches  rests  the  upper 
portion  of  the  octagon,  which  is  terminated  by 
a  semicircular  cupola,  surmounted  by  a  lantern. 

In  the  centre  of  the  building  stands 
an  octagonal  stone  basin,  with  two  steps 
leading  up  to  it,  and  in  one  of  its  remaining 
sides — for  a  portion  of  the  basin  is  missing — 
are  two  curious  semicircular  indentations, 
evidently  intended  to  allow  the  officiating 
priests  to  get  nearer  to  those  they  were 
admitting  into  the  church. 

I  suspect  that  the  Antiquary  would  have 
liked  to  have  lingered  longer  in  this  ancient 
town,  where  some  important  archaeological 
discoveries  have  recently  been  made  ;  but 
I  was  so  eager  to  get  to  our  valley  that  we 


14     Wandering's  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


decided  to  see  there  only  what  was  absolutely 
essential.  And  once  we  had  taken  to  the 
road,  it  was  not  long  before  we  came  within 
sight  of  the  Nervia.  The  highway  skirts  the 
railway  for  some  three-quarters  of  a  mile — 
an  uninteresting  stretch  of  ground — and  then, 
after  crossing  the  line,  follows  the  broad, 
stony  bed  of  the  torrent. 

Suddenly  the  landscape  changed  to  a  thing 
of  beauty.  The  bone-dry  bed  of  the  river 
was  thick  with  vegetation,  and  helped  to 
form,  with  the  distant  village  of  Camporosso, 
an  almost  perfect  picture.  In  the  foreground 
were  oleander  and  tamarisk  bushes  ;  in  the 
middle  distance  the  partly  hidden  houses, 
with  a  tall  and  graceful  church  spire  rising 
above  a  clump  of  trees,  kissed  by  the  morning 
sun ;  and  beyond,  the  cloud-capped  hills, 
veiled  with  a  delicate  blue  haze. 

Camporosso  was  one  of  a  number  of  little 
townships  of  the  coast  which,  throughout  the 
fourteenth  century,  struggled  for  independence 
against  Ventimiglia,  and  it  is  thought  by 
some  that  it  takes  its  name  from  a  blood- 
stained battlefield.  But  it  is  more  probably 
named  after  the  rose-coloured  flowers  of  the 
Nerium  oleander,  which  abounds  all  along 
the  Val  Nervina. 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


15 


Passing  through  a  shady  avenue  of  plane 
trees,  the  main  road  leaves  the  village  on  the 
right  and  continues  along  the  winding  bed 
of  the  torrent,  and  the  nearer  you  approach 
the  neighbouring  town  of  Dolceacqua,  the 
narrower  and  more  beautiful  the  valley 
becomes.  It  is  in  great  part  devoted  to  the 
growing  of  olives,  and  on  either  hand  groves 
of  these  lovely  gray-green  trees,  interspersed 
here  and  there  with  vineyards  and  orchards, 
stretch  up  the  hillside. 

There  is  nothing  that  stimulates  contem- 
plation so  powerfully  as  the  olive  groves  of 
Italy.  They  are  continually  inviting  the 
wayfarer  to  leave  his  hot  and  dusty  highway, 
to  recline  under  the  cool  shade  of  their 
leaves,  and  to  let  his  thoughts  run  free. 
When  within  about  a  mile  of  Dolceacqua,  at 
a  point  where  we  got  our  first  and  most 
perfect  view  of  the  town  and  its  hill-crowned 
castle,  they  began  to  exercise  their  potent 
influence  upon  us.  Only  a  few  yards  away, 
a  grassy  plateau,  overlooking  a  precipitous 
descent  into  the  valley,  was  waiting  to 
receive  us  ;  so  we  sat  under  the  trees  to  take 
in  the  beauty  of  the  surroundings  at  our 
leisure,  and  to  let  our  vagabond  thoughts 
dwell  on  their  history.    Far  below  was  the 


16    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


first  indication  of  the  Nervia  :  a  silver  thread 
meandering  amidst  a  stony  expanse  until, 
here  and  there  under  the  rocks,  it  collected 
in  deep,  dark-green  basins  of  water.  Not 
wholly,  however,  did  the  river  bed  suggest 
a  wilderness.  It  has  been  reclaimed  in  part 
by  industrious  peasant  proprietors,  who  have 
planted  there  some  of  the  vineyards  from 
which  the  noted  red  wine  of  Dolceacqua,  ^^7 
rossese,  is  made ;  and  these  verdant  oases 
add  in  no  small  measure  to  the  picturesque- 
ness  of  the  landscape.  Rocky  pine-clad  hills 
form  a  background  to  the  picture,  the  most 
prominent  feature  of  which  are  the  irregular 
houses  of  the  little  town,  rising  one  above 
the  other  under  the  lee  of  the  castle. 

The  ancestral  home  of  the  Dorias  is  a 
massive  parallelogram,  furnished  at  three  of 
its  corners  with  towers,  one  of  them  round, 
the  others  square  and  crowned  with  parapets. 
It  is  a  characteristic  building  of  the  fifteenth 
century,  when  castles  were  at  one  and  the 
same  time  residences  and  strongholds.  As 
such  it  was  supplied  with  a  deep  moat  and  a 
drawbridge,  and  the  various  living  rooms 
and  chapel  were,  as  is  shown  by  ancient 
inventories,  richly  furnished.  The  splendour 
of  its  halls  and  Hbrary  and  picture-gallery 


The  Castle  of  Dolceacqua 


/ 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


17 


has,  however,  departed,  and  there  remains 
only  that  air  of  majesty  which  continues 
to  float  around  the  dismantled  walls  and 
grass-grown  courtyards  of  these  romantic 
relics  of  feudalism. 

The  Marquisate  of  Dolceacqua,  formerly  in 
the  possession  of  the  Counts  of  Ventimiglia, 
came  into  the  hands  of  the  great  Doria 
family  at  Ihe  end  of  the  thirteenth  century, 
when   Genoa,   after   dominating  both  the 
Rivieras,  became  the  scene  of  bitter  civil 
war — the  struggle  between  the  Guelfs  and 
the  Ghibellines — which  ended  in  1270  with 
the  victory  of  the  latter,  under  the  leadership 
of  Oberto  Spinola  and  Oberto  Doria.    It  was 
in  that  year  that  Oberto  Doria,  the  son  of 
the  Pietro  Doria  who  gained  the  naval  battle 
of  Khania  in  1266,  and  the  descendant  of 
one  of  the  most  illustrious  families  in  Italy, 
acquired  Dolceacqua.    A  few  years  later  he 
counted  other  neighbouring  towns  and  dis- 
tricts among  his  possessions.    Apricale  and 
Isolabona  were  gathered  in  in  1287,  Perinaldo 
in  1288,  and  San  Remo  in  1297  ;  and  thus 
was  built  up  the  fortune  of  the  house  which 
looms  so  large  in  the  history  of  Liguria. 
Several  distinguished  members  of  the  family 
first  saw  the  hght  at  Dolceacqua  :  Enrichetto 

2 — (2230) 


18    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


in  1444,  Imperiale  in  1553,  and  Stefano  in 
1580  ;  and  in  the  fifteenth  century  one  of 
Obert  o' s  descendants — Caracossa — married 
Ceva  Doria,  of  Oneglia,  the  father  of  that 
Andrea  Doria  who  displayed,  in  so  remarkable 
a  manner,  his  ancestors'  traditional  courage, 
clear-sightedness,  and  genius  in  diplomacy. 

The  oldest  part  of  Dolceacqua  is  that  which 
lies  immediately  beneath  the  castle  walls  ;  it 
is  locally  known  as  the  Terra,  to  distinguish 
it  from  the  Borgo  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
river ;  and  the  two  are  joined  by  a  most 
picturesque  old  bridge  of  a  single  span  of 
thirty-five  yards.  It  is  well  worth  while 
crossing  this  bridge  to  explore  the  dark,  cool 
streets — all  secured  together  at  the  top  with 
earthquake  arches — to  discover  there  the 
many  ancient  things  which  mean  so  much  to 
the  lover  of  old  houses  :  carved  wooden  doors, 
wrought-iron  balconies,  barred  prison-like 
windows,  and  dates  on  antique  lintels  ;  and 
then,  by  way  of  the  Via  Castello,  to  climb 
up  the  hillside  and  wander  among  the  ruins. 
On  these  mountain  paths  the  air  is  scented 
with  thyme,  mint,  and  marjoram,  and  there 
is  nothing  to  disturb  one's  thoughts  save  the 
pleasant  noise  of  the  sure-footed  mules  as 
they  clatter  down  the  stony  ways  burdened 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


19 


with  huge  loads  of  firewood,  sacks  of 
pinecones,  or  sweet-scented  fodder. 

A  red-sealed  diploma  on  the  walls  of  a 
trattoria,  declaring  that  its  holder,  the  pro- 
prietor, had  been  granted  a  gold  medal  for 
ten  years*  faithful  service  in  the  household 
of  a  German  baron,  held  forth  the  promise  of 
good  fare,  so  before  continuing  up  the  valley, 
we  had  our  mid-day  meal ;  a  Spartan  meal, 
if  you  hke  (it  consisted  of  olives,  a  tomato 
omelette,  fresh  figs,  and  peaches),  but  perfect 
in  every  detail.  It  was  our  rule — and  all 
walkers  and  climbers  would  do  well  to  follow 
it,  to  eat  frugally  whilst  on  the  march. 

At  the  Ponte  Barbaira,  two-thirds  of  a 
mile  from  Dolceacqua,  a  branch  road  leads 
to  Rocchetta  Nervina,  a  mountain  town  which 
for  many  years  upheld  the  Guelf  party  against 
the  seat  of  Oberto  Doria's  marquisate  ;  but 
as  our  round,  before  returning  to  the  sea,  was 
to  be  a  long  one,  we  kept  our  feet  well  on 
the  banks  of  the  Nervia  and,  ever  rising, 
went  on  to  Isolabona  and  Pigna.  Ere  reach- 
ing the  former  place,  which  rests  at  the  foot 
of  a  steep  hill,  with  a  tall  cypress  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  stream,  we  were  once  more 
reminded  of  the  Dorias,  this  time  in  their 
commercial  capacity,  which  (or  they  would 


20    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


not  have  been  Genoese)  was  very  fully 
developed.  As  early  as  1290  they  established 
parchment  manufactories  in  their  domains, 
and  here,  near  Isolabona,  was  one  of  them 
still  standing — that  in  which  Magister 
Bartholomeus  Villanus  worked  in  the  early 
years  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

Pigna,  which  stands  a  thousand  feet  above 
sea  level,  in  a  strong  position  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Nervia,  recalls  the  names  of 
members  of  the  House  of  Savoy  and  the  long 
struggle  between  the  Guelfs  and  the  Ghibel- 
lines.  Nearly  a  thousand  feet  higher,  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  valley,  is  perched 
the  village  of  Castel  Vittorio,  still  stronger 
strategically  ;  and  as  this  formidable  moun- 
tain stronghold  owed  allegiance  to  Genoa, 
there  was  incessant  strife  between  the  rival 
parties.  At  last,  in  1365,  peace  was  signed 
on  the  Ponte  di  Lagopigo,  which  crosses  the 
torrent  just  beyond  Pigna.  But  the  time 
came,  in  1625,  when  it  was  broken,  and 
Pigna,  in  spite  of  its  strength,  was  captured 
by  Battivilla,  the  commander  of  the  troops 
of  the  Republic.  These  memories  interested 
us  less,  however,  than  what  Pigna  had  to 
offer  in  the  way  of  works  of  art  and  natural 
beauties,  and  before  we  left  it  behind  we 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


21 


heartily  agreed  with  some  reflections  which 
we  found  written  in  the  visitors'  book  at  the 
alhergo.  Apart  from  the  charm  of  the 
village  and  the  interest  of  the  frescoes  in 
the  cemetery  church/'  ran  the  words  of  our 
unknown  brother  wayfarer,  what  a  delight- 
ful centre  for  excursions  is  Pigna.  What 
lovely  walks  to  Castel  Vittorio,  to  Buggio,  or 
up  the  Muratone  and  Olivetta  valleys  !  What 
splendid  longer  excursions  to  Monte  Toraggio, 
Monte  Grai,  Monte  Ceppo,  Bajardo,  or  up 
the  Rio  Incisa,  or  to  the  woods  near  Gola  di 
Gota  !  And  what  a  centre  for  wild  flowers  ! 
Now  (March  29th,  1909)  the  banks  are  all 
covered  with  primroses  and  hepaticas,  and 
later  laburnum,  fritillaries,  peonies,  scarlet 
Turk's  Cap  lilies,  columbines,  gentians,  edel- 
weiss, and  the  rarest  ferns  of  this  part  of  the 
world  are  all  to  be  found  not  far  from  Pigna." 

Winding  up  the  hillside,  the  steep  main 
street  of  the  village  leads  to  its  principal 
square,  the  Piazza  Umberto  I,  where,  in 
addition  to  an  extensive  view  over  the  house- 
tops, an  interesting  carved  doorway  is  to 
be  seen.  We  found  that  this  led  to  an 
ancient  covered  s.quare  with  vaulted  roof 
supported  by  columns,  in  one  of  which  is  an 
iron  ring  to  which  malefactors  were  formerly 


22    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


attached,  this  being  the  place  where  the 
people  of  Pigna  were  wont — as  indeed  they 
are  now — to  congregate.  Not  far  away  stands 
the  parish  church  of  San  Michele,  which  was 
built  in  1450  by  two  illustrious  Genoese  : 
Giorgio  Dellamotta  and  Giovanni  Bisone. 
It  contains,  among  other  works  of  art,  an 
exceedingly  fine  picture  of  the  fifteenth 
century  by  Giovanni  Ranavesio  of  Pinerolo, 
the  artist-priest  whose  presence  in  Pigna  in 
1482  is  proved  by  the  admirable  frescoes  in 
the  neighbouring  Chapel  of  San  Bernardo, 
adjoining  the  cemetery.  It  is  painted  on 
wood,  on  a  gold  ground,  and  is  divided  into 
thirty-six  compartments,  the  principal  one 
of  which  is  devoted  to  the  Archangel  Michael. 

The  vivacity  of  the  faces,'*  writes  one  of 
Ranavesio' s  eulogists,  the  naturalness  of 
the  carnations,  the  brilliancy  of  the  armour 
and  draperies,  and  the  fine  brush-work,  testify 
to  the  artist's  by  no  means  common  skill." 
Certainly  this  praise  is  none  too  high,  and  it 
was  with  eagerness  that  we  set  off  for  San 
Bernardo  to  see  another  example  of  this 
artist's  work.  But,  alas  !  after  a  quarter  of 
an  hour's  walk  up  a  mountain  path  shaded 
by  olive  trees,  we  found  that  his  frescoes  had 
lost  most  of  their  early  beauty.    The  chapel 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


23 


of  San  Bernardo  is  now  a  national  monument, 
but,  as  is  so  often  the  case,  the  protection 
of  the  State  came  too  late.  Damp,  the  falHng 
into  ruins  of  the  roof,  and  clumsy  restoration 
of  the  paintings  after  the  earthquake  of  1887, 
have  played  havoc  with  Ranavesio's  handi- 
work. One  of  the  most  important  of  his 
frescoes,  that  representing  the  Last  Judgment, 
on  the  wall  on  the  left,  is  utterly  spoilt. 
However,  let  us  be  thankful  for  the  Via 
Crucis  and  whatever  else  remains  ;  thankful 
that,  unlike  the  mural  paintings  by  the  same 
artist  in  the  Benedictine  church  of  San 
Tommaso,  whose  ruins  stand  among  the 
olives,  some  twenty  minutes'  walk  away,  these 
once  beautiful  frescoes  have  not  been  entirely 
destroyed.  Ranavesio  seems  to  have  done 
a  good  deal  of  work  in  this  district.  He  also 
decorated  the  chapel  of  N.S.  del  Fontan, 
at  Briga,  in  the  Roja  valley.  We  sought  in 
vain,  however,  for  the  work  of  another  artist- 
priest,  the  Dominican  Father  Emmanuele 
Macari,  which  is  strange,  considering  that  he 
was  a  native  of  Pigna.  The  name  of  his 
parents  and  the  exact  date  of  his  birth 
(supposed  to  be  in  the  year  1522)  are  unknown, 
but  he  is  said  to  have  come  of  a  family  which 
for  long  years  occupied  the  chief  civic  posts 


24     Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


there.  He  joined  the  Dominican  order  in  his 
youth,  and  was  attached  to  the  convent  of 
Santa  Maria  della  Misericordia,  at  Taggia, 
where  he  probably  learnt  the  art  of  painting 
from  Corrado  di  Alemagna,  and  was  a  fellow- 
student  of  Ludovic  Brea,  of  Nice.  So  it  is 
at  Taggia  and  elsewhere,  but  not  at  Pigna," 
said  the  Antiquary,  that  we  may  expect  to 
find  his  work.'' 

When  we  commenced  our  climb  to  Castel 
Vittorio,  with  far-away  Bajardo,  nearly  three 
thousand  feet  above  the  sea,  as  the  ultimate 
goal  of  another  day's  wanderings,  I  had  no 
idea  how  trying  an  Italian  mule -path  can  be 
to  the  legs  of  an  inexperienced  climber. 
The  well-seasoned  Antiquary,  scorning  the 
easier  but  circuitous  via  carrozzabile,  contended 
that  the  ancient  way  was  infinitely  the  better, 
and  that  a  short  walk  would  bring  us  to  the 
summit  of  the  hill.  And,  indeed,  seen  through 
the  marvellously  clear  atmosphere,  Castel 
Vittorio  seemed  at  but  a  stone's  throw.  Yet 
that  zig-zagging  strada  mulattiera  meant  (to 
me,  at  least)  three-quarters  of  an  hour's  stiff 
climbing  :  an  excellent  introduction,  as  my 
friend  put  it,  to  our  ten  kilometre  journey 
(equivalent  to  double  on  the  level),  and  a 
sort  of   apprenticeship    to    our  mountain 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


25 


excursions  in  Liguria.  One  soon  learns,  in  fact, 
to  prefer  these  mule  paths  to  any  other  ways, 
owing  to  the  exquisite  views  which  time  after 
time  appear  before  one's  gaze  and  draw  forth 
involuntary  exclamations  of  admiration. 

Shortly  after  reaching  Castel  Vittorio,  where 
we  passed  through  a  diminutive  square,  and 
narrow,  tunnel-like  streets,  we  found  our- 
selves once  more  on  the  hillside,  looking  down 
upon  the  village.  Up  and  up  our  mountain 
path,  winding  in  and  out  amidst  huge  boulders, 
up  and  up,  through  chestnut  groves  and 
past  wayside  shrines  we  mounted,  until  at 
last  the  valley  lay  at  our  feet,  with  both  Castel 
Vittorio  and  Pigna  shining  like  gems  in  the 
sun.  At  a  height  of  a  little  over  two  thousand 
feet  we  came  to  the  Chapel  of  San  Sebastiano, 
situated  in  a  fine  position  on  a  ridge  over- 
looking two  valleys,  and  here  we  got  our 
first  view  of  Bajardo,  a  small  cluster  of 
impregnable-looking  houses  on  the  crest  of 
the  opposite  hill.  Descending  to  the  level 
of  the  vines,  the  mule  path  then  brought  us 
to  a  little  mountain  stream,  where  it  became 
lost  to  sight.  But  we  picked  up  its  traces 
further  on  and,  ever  descending,  quickly 
reached  the  bed  of  the  Bonda  torrent,  which 
is  crossed  by  a  substantial  stone  bridge. 


26    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Bajardo  was  now  right  above  our  heads, 
and  to  reach  it  looked  but  an  easy  walk. 
Our  hardest  climb,  however,  had  yet  to  come, 
and  at  a  time  of  day,  too,  when  we  could  ill- 
afford  to  loiter  by  the  way  ;  for  the  sun 
was  getting  very  low,  flooding  the  top  of  a 
distant  hillside  with  roseate  light.  Soon  it 
would  disappear  altogether  and  leave  the 
valleys  in  semi-darkness.  The  possibility  of 
having  to  pass  the  night  on  the  mountain 
side — for  to  have  attempted  in  the  darkness 
to  ascend  the  precipitous,  and  in  many  places, 
indistinguishable  track,  would  have  been  folly 
— made  us  hasten  forward  at  the  top  of  our 
speed.  And  just  as  I  was  beginning  to  despair 
of  ever  reaching  the  end  of  our  crooked  way, 
the  sound  of  voices  came  through  the  chilly 
air,  and,  emerging  from  a  pine-wood  on  to 
a  plateau,  we  encountered  a  party  of  contadiniy 
under  whose  escort  we  safely  entered  into 
Bajardo. 

Historically,  Bajardo  appears  to  have 
played  no  very  important  part  in  the  story 
of  Liguria.  If  battles  were  fought  beneath 
its  walls,  they  cannot  have  been  of  vital 
importance,  since  my  companion  had  failed 
to  discover  any  mention  of  them  in  its  scant 
records.     Perhaps    its    almost  inaccessible 


up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


27 


position  dismayed  the  would-be  invader  ere 
he  set  out  on  the  march  ;  or  did  it  lie  so 
off  the  beaten  track  that  its  possession  by 
one  or  the  other  party  weighed  but  little  in 
the  political  balance  ?  And  yet  Genoa,  to 
whom,  presumably,  it  nominally  owed  allegi- 
ance during  the  Middle  Ages,  did  not  wholly 
despise  it,  for  we  learn  that  in  the  year 
1282  the  Republic  drew  upon  its  forests  for 
the  wood  required  in  the  construction  of 
fifty  galleys  to  be  used  in  the  war  against 
Pisa.  Few,  however,  as  the  historical  events 
connected  with  Bajardo  may  be,  its  name 
never  fails  to  awaken  interest  in  the  minds 
of  those  who  hear  it,  and  it  is  probably  as 
well  known  to  the  outside  world  as  any  of 
the  hill  villages  of  this  part  of  Italy.  It  is 
identified  with  an  event  which  stirred  the 
hearts  of  people  all  over  Europe,  and  cast  a 
deep  shadow  over  the  homes  of  thousands  all 
along  the  Riviera ;  I  refer  to  the  great 
earthquake  of  February  23rd,  1887.^  The 
two  places  to  suffer  the  most  were  Bajardo 
and  Bussana,  and  in  the  case  of  both  villages 
many  of  the  victims  were  those  who  were 
attending  early  mass,  for  the  day  was  Ash 

^  This  great  earthquake  also  did  much  damage  at  Diana 
Marina  and  OnegUa,  which  were  almost  completely  ruined. 
Among  the  other  towns  along  the  coast  which  suffered 


28     Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Wednesday.  The  church  roof  fell  in,  killing, 
as  a  memorial  stone  at  one  end  of  the  village 
records,  no  fewer  than  two  hundred  and  two 
worshippers,  besides  injuring  sixty-two  others. 
Many  of  the  houses,  too,  around  the  Chiesa  di 
San  Nicolo  da  Bari  were  shattered,  and  a 
visit  to  this  ruined  quarter  (for  church  and 
houses  have  never  been  repaired  to  this  day) 
is  the  melancholy  yet  obligatory  duty  of 
every  one  who  comes  to  Bajardo.  So  deep 
is  the  impression  left  by  a  ramble  among  the 
deserted  streets  that  one  is  inclined  to  ask 
if  this  one  event  of  1887  does  not  monopolise 
all  a  traveller's  interest.  Perhaps  so,  if  he 
be  merely  a  passing  guest,  but  emphatically 
no  should  he  come  to  have  a  longer  acquaint- 
ance with  Bajardo.  It  is  noted,  in  fact,  for 
its  particularly  pure  air  and  healthy  position, 
and  as  it  is  now  connected  with  San  Remo 
by  a  good  carriage  road,  it  bids  fair  to  become 
a  favourite  summer  resort  for  well-to-do 

were  Mentone,  Porto  Maurizio,  Alassio  and  Noli  ;  whilst 
in  the  interior  of  Liguria,  Diano  Castello,  Bussana,  Castel- 
laro,  Bajardo,  Claus  and  La  Bollene  were  badly  shaken. 
The  large  number  of  deaths  in  the  churches  is  explained  by 
the  fact  that  these  were  in  very  bad  structural  condition. 
The  death  record  was  as  follows  :  in  the  district  of  Porto 
Maurizio,  258  killed  and  269  injured  ;  in  that  of  San  Remo, 
339  killed  and  205  injured  ;  and  in  that  of  the  province  of 
Genoa,  38  killed  and  81  injured. 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


29 


people  of  the  coast.  There  is  good  shooting, 
too,  in  its  surrounding  woods,  whilst  for  those 
who  love  walking  and  beautiful  mountain 
scenery  the  excursions  are  innumerable. 

One  of  the  most  pleasant  walks  in  the 
district  is  that  we  took  to  Perinaldo,  on  our 
way  back  to  the  sea.  The  distance  is  eight 
miles,  and  for  some  three-quarters  of  the  way 
we  followed  a  level  light-railway  track,  used 
for  transporting  timber  to  the  coast,  and 
constructed,  at  points  where  it  crosses  minia- 
ture valleys,  on  pine-log  piles.  There  is  also 
a  mule-path,  which  winds  up  and  down  the 
hillside,  but,  in  order  to  avoid  useless  exertion, 
it  is  better  to  keep  to  the  railway.  It  traverses 
some  of  the  most  perfect  scenery  to  be  found 
anywhere,  passing  around  the  flanks  of 
mountains  whose  tall  crags  tower  above  your 
head,  and  through  aromatic  and  health-giving 
pine-forests.  As  you  round  the  corners 
Bajardo  comes  into  view  time  after  time  ; 
deep  valleys  he  at  your  feet,  with  hill  rising 
above  hill  in  the  distance,  until  their  rocky 
peaks  touch  the  clouds  ;  and,  when  about  a 
quarter  of  the  way,  the  little  village  of 
Apricale,  standing  on  a  hill  and  with  the 
sunlight  shining  on  its  church  tower,  appears 
within  sight.   How  exhilarating  is  the  air  at 


30    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


these  altitudes,  and  how  reposeful  are  Nature's 
sounds  in  these  ideal  fields  for  the  artist  and 
naturalist ! — the  call  of  the  rooks  among  the 
crags,  the  flutter  of  startled  birds  in  the  under- 
wood, the  shuffle  of  dozens  of  frightened 
lizards  among  the  sunlit  rocks,  and  the 
incessant  hum  of  insects.  There  is  almost 
an  entire  absence  of  human  life  on  these 
mountain  sides,  and  one  is  sometimes  thankful 
for  it.  During  the  whole  of  our  journey  we 
met  but  three  people  :  a  peasant  collecting 
pine-cones  and  needles  in  one  of  the  forests, 
and  a  woman  with  a  child,  picking  leaves 
from  a  chestnut  tree,  with  which,  in  all 
probability,  to  line  her  baskets  when  she 
carried  them  full  of  ripe  figs  to  the  nearest 
market.  She  was  high  up  among  the  branches 
and  as  she  cast  down  the  leaves,  she  taught 
her  little  one,  who  sat  playing  below,  its 
Paternoster.  Pater  noster,  qui  es  in  coelis, 
sanctificetur  nomen  tuum  .  .  she  repeated, 
word  by  word,  and  the  child  did  its  best  to 
imitate  the  sonorous  Latin  words.  For  their 
presence,  at  any  rate,  we  were  grateful. 

Shortly  after  seeing  this  little  wayside 
picture  we  came  to  a  disused  chapel,  where 
the  railway  track  and  the  mule-path  meet. 
Here  it  was  necessary  to  follow  the  latter,  as 


up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


31 


the  railway  branches  off  to  the  left  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Vallecrosia  valley.  And 
in  half  an  hour  or  so  we  were  in  Perinaldo, 
which  stretches,  at  a  height  of  eighteen 
hundred  feet,  along  the  crest  of  the  hill. 

This  wind-swept  mountain  village,  which 
until  recent  years  was  unconnected  with  the 
coast  save  by  a  narrow,  irregular  mule-path, 
is  principally  known  as  the  birthplace  of 
three  celebrated  astronomers  :  Gian  Domenico 
Cassini  (1625-1712),  Giacomo  Fihppo  Maraldi 
(1665-1729),  and  Gian  Domenico  Maraldi 
(1709-1788).  Cassini  was  the  discoverer  of 
four  new  satellites  of  Saturn,  and  Domenico 
Maraldi,  who,  like  his  nephew  Filippo,  was  a 
member  of  the  French  Academy,  was  the 
author  of  a  Catalogue  of  Fixed  Stars. 
The  Perinaldo  branch  of  this  distinguished 
family  is  now  extinct,  but  the  house  where 
the  astronomers  were  born  and  worked  is  still 
standing,  as  recorded  by  a  tablet  over  the 
doorway  of  17,  Via  Maraldi ;  a  tablet  on 
which  are  the  admirable  words  :  Questi  tre 
nomi  esprimono  una  gloria  immense  come  il 
firmamento  da  loro  discorso."  Moreover, 
this  modest-looking  house  contains  a  valuable 
library  of  astronomical  works  formed  by  Gian 
Domenico  Maraldi ;  a  collection  of  autograph 


32    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


letters  received  by  Cassini  and  the  Maraldis  from 
eminent  French  scientists  of  the  eighteenth 
century,    including     Delalande,  Lavoisier, 
Delisle,  and  Bailly ;  the  astronomer's  manu- 
scripts and  observations,  and,  finally,  the 
instruments  with  which  they  worked.  One 
of  the  rarest  works  in  the  library  is  Evelio's 
Johannis  Hevelii,  Selonographia  sive  lunae 
description  typis  Hunefeldianis,  of  which  only 
eight  copies  are  known  to  exist,  almost  the 
entire   edition   having  been   destroyed  on 
September  29th,   1679,  with  the  author's 
house,   library,   and   observatory.    At  the 
other  end  of  the  village,  near  the  Piazza  del 
Municipio  and  parish  church,  where  you  get 
an  extensive  view  of  the  green  valley,  with  a 
gUnt  of  blue  sea  in  the  distance,  we  found 
another  unpretentious-looking  house  which 
also  claims  a  place  in  history.    The  Casa 
AUavena,  at  No.  21  in  the  street  of  the  same 
name,  was  occupied,  in  1797,  by  Napoleon, 
whilst  on  his  way  into  Italy.    He  was  enter- 
tained by  the  grandfather  of  the  present 
owner  and  occupier,  Signora  AUavena  Em- 
briaco,  who  courteously  allowed  us  to  see  the 
room,  the  Sala  Rossa,  in  which  the  great 
soldier  lived. 

I  imagine  that  it  must  have  been  that 


Up  the  Valley  of  the  Nervia 


33 


glimpse  of  the  Mediterranean,  seen  from  the 
parapet  of  the  Piazza  of  Perinaldo,  which  set 
us  longing  to  make  a  rapid  return  to  the  coast. 
For  with  one  accord,  early  the  next  morning, 
we  started  down  the  steep,  winding  road 
which  leads  along  the  Vallecrosia  valley,  past 
many  an  old  mill  and  mountain  village. 
First  came  Soldano  with  its  church,  con- 
taining an  altar-piece  painted  on  wood  by 
Brea ;  then  San  Biagio  della  Cima,  high 
above  the  road ;  and,  finally,  a  mile  from 
where  the  river  joins  the  sea,  the  village 
after  which  the  valley  is  named. 


Covered  Piazza  at  Pigna 


3— (2230) 


Ancient  Gateway  at  B  or  dig  her  a 


CHAPTER  II 

ON  THE  ROAD  TO  SAN  REMO 

When  the  sick  people  arrive  from  the  cold, 
bleak  North  and  look  for  the  first  time  on 
the  rich  colouring  of  this  southern  shore,  how 
great  must  be  their  sense  of  joy  over  the 
wonderful  change  wrought  by  a  few  hours' 
railway  travelling !  Gray  or  leaden  skies 
have  changed  to  blue  :  such  a  blue  as  is 
only  to  be  seen  in  sunny  countries  ;  leafless, 

34 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo  35 


snow-covered  landscapes  have  faded  away, 
and  are  replaced  by  a  vegetation  so  varied 
and  so  green  that  only  in  the  Tropics  is  it 
surpassed.  And  as  the  train  draws  up  at 
Bordighera,  or  Ospedaletti,  or  San  Remo,  the 
pale  invalids,  looking  out  over  the  turquoise 
sea,  feel  that  they  have  already  made  the 
first  step  towards  recovery. 

All  who  seek  health  in  these  three  favoured 
spots  of  the  Italian  Riviera  come  under  the 
influence  of  their  new  surroundings,  and 
especially  the  influence  of  colour.  No  one, 
indeed,  escapes  it.  The  sound  in  lung  and 
limb  experience  the  exhilarating  effects  almost 
if  not  as  much  as  those  whose  nerves  are  more 
delicately  strung.  Walking  along  the  Cornice 
towards  Bordighera,  we  were  never  more 
impressed  than  by  the  beauty  of  our  palm- 
bordered  way  and  the  exquisite  blue  of  the 
tideless  sea  :  cerulean  near  at  hand,  where 
it  beats  on  rocky  bays  and  creeks,  but  an 
intenser  and  intenser  blue  in  the  distance  up 
to  the  point  where  the  white  foam  edges  the 
beach. 

Palms,  we  soon  learnt,  are  the  special  glory 
of  Bordighera,  where,  owing  to  its  exception- 
ally mild  climate,  they  have  been  cultivated 
— if  reliance  is  to  be  placed  in  the  ancient 


36    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


story  of  Captain  Bresca  and  Pope  Sixtus  V — 
for  more  than  four  hundred  years.  The 
story  is  related  at  length  in  Giovanni  Ruffini' s 
Doctor  Antonio^  but  for  the  benefit  of 
those  who  are  as  yet  unacquainted  with  that 
novel,  it  will  be  well  once  more  to  give  its 
essential  details. 

About  the  year  1584,  during  the  early 
years  of  the  Pontificate  of  Sixtus  V,  this 
ambitious  and  enterprising  Pope  decided  to 
disinter  an  ancient  obelisk  which  lay  half 
buried  in  the  earth  near  the  vestry  of  San 
Pietro,  in  Rome,  and  to  raise  it  on  the  square 
known  as  the  Vaticano,  where  it  now  stands. 
Placing  this  difficult  work  in  the  hands  of 
an  eminent  architect  named  Domenico  Fon- 
tana,  he  furnished  him  with  all  the  necessary 
means  for  its  successful  termination,  and,  on 
all  the  preparations  being  completed,  fixed 
the  day  when,  in  his  presence  and  that  of 
an  immense  concourse  of  people,  the  column 
should  be  raised.  But  the  architect  was  a 
nervous  man,  and  little  relished  the  idea 
of  a  noisy,  enthusiastic  crowd.  The  clamour 
of  the  people,  as  he  told  the  Pope,  might 
bewilder  his  workmen,  and  should  there  be  the 
sHghtest  hitch  in  the  proceedings,  he  would 
answer  for  nothing.''    So  Sixtus  promised 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo 


37 


that  his  nerves  should  not  be  shaken,  and,  in 
order  that  there  should  be  no  doubt  about  it, 
immediately  issued  an  edict  declaring  that 
whosoever  uttered  a  sound  during  the  cere- 
mony should  suffer  death.    At  last  the  day 
for  the  elevation  of  the  column  arrived. 
Fontana  gave  the  signal,  his  men  bent  with 
a  will  at  the  capstans,  the  pulleys  began  to 
revolve  and  the  cables  to  stretch  and  creak. 
All  went  well  until  the  moment  when  the 
huge  granite  obelisk  was  almost  erect.  Then, 
suddenly,  an  ominous  crack  was  heard,  and 
the  monolith,  after  remaining  motionless  for 
a  second,  was  seen  to  sink  several  inches. 
Fontana  entirely  lost  his  head,  and  it  would 
doubtless  have  gone  ill  with  him  at  the 
hands  of  the  frowning  Pope  had  not  assistance 
come  from  the  very  quarter  which  he  had 
most  feared.      Water  !    Water  !  shouted 
a  voice  from  amidst  the  respectful  crowd. 
Wet  the  ropes !      The  advice  was  too 
good  not  to  be  immediately  followed,  so 
water  was  thrown  on  the  cables,  and  the 
slackened  hemp  having  contracted  the  work- 
men completed  the  uprearing  of  the  obeHsk 
in  safety.    So  far  so  good  !    But  what  about 
the  edict  ?    Manifestly  the  Papal  laws  must 
be  respected;   so  the  Swiss  Guards  seized 


38    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


the  man  who  had  saved  the  situation  and 
brought  him  before  their  master.  He  turned 
out  to  be  the  captain  of  a  trading  vessel, 
named  Bresca,  and  his  experience  of  the 
slackening  of  hempen  ropes  had  doubtless 
been  gained  during  his  seafaring  life.  How- 
ever, such  was  the  severity  of  Sixtus  V, 
there  was  little  chance,  people  thought,  of 
his  life  being  spared.  Fortunately,  the  Pope, 
pleased  at  the  success  of  an  undertaking  which 
he  had  had  very  much  at  heart,  was  disposed 
to  be  lenient,  and  on  receiving  Bresca, 
promised  to  grant  him  any  favour  he  might 
ask.  The  good  captain  diplomatically  began 
by  asking  for  the  Pope's  holy  blessing,  and, 
secondly,  the  privilege  for  him  and  his 
descendants  of  annually  supplying  the  Vatican 
with  palms.  This  request  was  immediately 
granted  by  a  Papal  Brief,  which  is  still," 
wrote  Rufhni,  in  the  possession  of  the 
Bresca  family,  and  the  monopoly  it  bestowed 
lasts  to  this  day." 

According  to  the  same  writer — and  later 
authorities  support  him — Captain  Bresca  was 
a  native  of  San  Remo,  but  others  make  him 
a  native  of  Bordighera.  There  is  a  slight 
difference  of  opinion,  too,  as  to  the  exact 
date  of  the  raising  of  the  column  on  the 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo 


39 


Piazza  Vaticano,  some  giving  it  as  September 
10th;  1586,  others  as  1588.  However,  all 
seem  to  agree  that  Bordighera  was  where  he 
established  himself  as  a  palm-grower.  More- 
over, though  we  failed  to  discover  any  trace 
either  of  the  Bresca  family  or  their  Brief,  we 
found  that  Bordighera  still  holds,  in  a  way, 
their  monopoly,  for  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  palm  branches  are  annually  sent  to  Rome 
for  use  on  Palm  Sunday.  The  much-admired 
whiteness  of  the  young  shoots  is  obtained  by 
tying  together  the  leaves  of  the  trees  at  the 
top,  thus  protecting  the  inner  ones  from  the 
rays  of  the  sun. 

These  beautiful  trees,  and,  generally 
speaking,  the  tropical  character  of  the 
vegetation  of  the  district,  are  what  stand  out 
most  prominently  in  my  recollections  of 
Bordighera.  We  spent  most  of  our  time 
there  in  gardens,  and  the  beauties  of  Nature 
naturally  take  precedence  over  all  others. 
Our  visit  to  the  old  town,  for  instance,  did 
not  greatly  impress  us,  though  we  did  our 
best  to  picture  it  as  it  was  in  1632,  when, 
with  seven  other  small  country  places,  it 
formed  a  little  Repubhc,  known  as  the 
"  Otto  Luoghi,"  and  governed  by  its  own 
laws,    under    the    protection    of  Genoa. 


40    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Situated  on  the  Capo  San  Ampegho,  where  there 
is  an  extensive  view  of  the  coast,  it  is  un- 
deniably well  placed  and  picturesque ;  but 
when  we  had  strolled  through,  entering  by 
the  Porta  del  Capo,  which  faces  the  Via  di 
Capo  and  public  garden,  passing  by  the 
Piazza  Fontana,  with  its  1783  fountain,  and 
coming  out  at  another  of  the  old  entrances 
to  the  town's  former  circle  of  walls,  the  Porta 
Sottana,  we  could  not  help  concluding  that 
its  picturesqueness  was  more  that  of  the 
stage  than  of  a  characteristic  Ligurian  cittd. 
Many  of  the  walls  had  been  neatly  white- 
washed, the  streets  were  impeccable,  and  the 
whole  place  had  the  air  of  having  been 
specially  prepared  for  visitors.  The  Antiquary 
insisted  that  it  had  come  under  Anglo-Saxon 
influence.  Hygiene  and  picturesqueness 
are  ill  bed-fellows,''  he  said,  and  you 
Enghsh  are  notorious  worshippers  of  Hygeia. 
Behold  your  handiwork,  caro  mio  !  Old  San 
Remo,  now,  has  escaped  you,  and  you  will 
soon  see  how  beautiful  she  is  !  " 

Two  of  the  gardens  we  visited  belong  to 
Herr  Winter,  a  well-known  horticulturist  of 
the  district ;  a  third  was  that  pleasant  spot 
which  Mr.  Clarence  Bicknell,  a  resident  of 
Bordighera,  has  had  planted  on  the  sheltered 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo  41 


western  slope  (known  as  La  Marina)  for  the 
benefit  of  the  many  EngHsh  people  who,  as 
in  the  days  of  George  Macdonald/  inhabit 
the  hotels  and  villas  that  now  cover  ground 
which  was  formerly  almost  exclusively  given 
up  to  the  cultivation  of  olives. 

The  first-named,  which  are  largely  devoted 
to  the  growing  of  palms,  yuccas,  prickly  pears, 
agaves,  and  the  larger  tropical  plants,  are 
on  the  road  to  Ospedaletti  :  one  in  the  little 
Sasso  valley,  the  other  much  further  along, 
near  the  ancient  wayside  chapel  of  the 
Madonna  della  Ruota.  The  garden  nearer 
Ospedaletti  slopes  down  to  the  sea,  and  above 
the  rocky  shore  is  a  curved  pergola,  enclosing 
an  ornamental  piece  of  water.  Climbing 
plants  grace  the  slender  columns  and  open- 
work roof,  and  enframed  by  the  verdure  is  an 
exquisite  view  of  Ospedaletti — a  thin  line  of 
shining  houses  and  palaces  stretched  on  the 
opposite  curve  of  the  bay.    A  little  closer  to 

^  George  Macdonald  spent  the  winter  of  1877-78  at 
Nervi,  near  Genoa,  the  summer  of  1878  and  the  winter  of 
1878-79  at  Portofino.  It  was  at  the  latter  place  that  he 
wrote  Sir  Gibhie  and  there  also  that  he  dedicated 
Paul  Faber  to  W.  C.  T.  (W.  Cowper  Temple).  After 
that  year,  and  for  more  than  twenty  years  all  the  winters 
were  spent  in  Bordighera,  at  the  Casa  Coraggio. — See 
George  Macdonald  at  Bordighera  by  Frances  M.  Brookfield, 
in  the  Sunday  Magazine,  1905. 


42    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


the  beach  is  an  old  well,  known  as  Rebecca's, 
and  surrounded  by  some  of  those  towering 
palms  for  which  the  garden  is  famous.  You 
can  see  there  some  splendid  specimens  of  the 
Phoenix^  the  CocoSj  and  the  Pritchardia,  to 
mention  but  three  well-known  varieties. 

Whereas  the  Sasso  and  Ruota  grounds  form 
a  harmony  in  green,  Mr.  Bicknell's  garden  is 
a  variegated  blaze  of  colour,  since  it  is  princi- 
pally dedicated  to  flowering  plants .  Adj  oining 
it  is  a  substantial  stone  building,  in  which 
the  founder,  who  is  the  author  of  an  excellent 
Flora  of  Bordighera  and  San  Remo,  and 
other  works,  has  brought  together  a  very 
complete  local  herbarium  and  collection  of 
fossils,  minerals,  and  prehistoric  objects.  It 
was  here  that  we  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
a  large  number  of  rubbings  of  the  rock 
drawings  of  Fontanalba,  near  Dalmazzo  di 
Tenda,  where  Mr.  Bicknell  has  spent  much 
time  in  studying  them.  What  is  the  exact 
signification  of  these  rude,  deep-cut  pictures 
of  men  at  the  plough  ;  these  heads  of  oxen  ; 
these  irregular  parallelograms,  enclosing  an 
ever  varying  number  of  dots ;  and  these 
figures  which  are  clearly  meant  to  represent 
daggers  ?  Manifestly  they  were  not  the  out- 
come of  the  idle  moments  of  prehistoric 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo 


43 


shepherds ;  for  there  are  more  than  two 
thousand  of  these  drawings  between  the  Lago 
Verde  and  Monte  Santa  Maria,  and  the  cutting 
of  them  must  have  entailed  enormous  labour. 
And  at  what  period  were  they  executed  ? 
The  people  of  the  district  refer  to  them  as 
Hannibal's  Soldiers,"  but  they  clearly  date 
much  further  back  than  the  days  of  Carthage  : 
as  far  back,  paleontologists  think,  as  three  or 
four  thousand  years  before  Christ. 

Ruota,"  the  name  given  to  the  already 
mentioned  chapel,  is  a  corruption  of  Rodi, 
and  Cavalieri  di  Rodi  "  was  the  original 
appellation  of  the  Knights  of  Malta,  who,  in 
the  fifteenth  century,  found  a  safe  anchorage 
for  their  ships  in  the  Bay  of  Ospedaletti,  and 
established  on  the  present  site  of  the  little 
town  a  hospital  (pspedale)  for  lepers.  Hence 
the  name.  Protected  from  the  north  winds, 
and  possessing  a  very  high  winter  temperature, 
its  aid  is  still  sought  by  the  sick  and  delicate. 
But  the  most  picturesque  feature  of  Ospeda- 
letti is  its  thriving  flower  industry.  It  is  one 
of  the  most  important  flower-markets  on  the 
whole  of  the  Riviera,  and  there  are  few  sights 
so  interesting  as  the  early  morning  markets, 
with  their  heaps  of  fresh-cut  roses  and 
carnations,  and  the  dark  forms  of  buyers  and 


44    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


sellers  moving  about  in  the  light  of  the  gas 
jets.  The  great  market  of  the  year  is  held 
on  the  19th,  20th,  and  21st  of  December, 
at  the  customary  hour  of  2  a.m.  By  mid- 
night the  workers  are  busy  in  the  fields, 
cutting  the  blooms,  and  a  few  hours  later 
large  numbers  of  women  are  hard  at  work 
in  a  shed  near  the  railway  station,  packing 
them  in  cestini,  as  the  reed  hampers  in  which 
they  are  sent  northwards  are  called.  There  are 
special  flower-trains  at  various  times  during 
the  day  between  October  and  June,  but 
the  most  important  ones  are  the  early  morn- 
ing expresses  which,  just  before  Christmas, 
carry  the  flowers  of  Ospedaletti  and  Coldirodi 
towards  London,  Berlin,  and  St.  Petersburg. 

Coldirodi  is  a  small  village  on  the  hill 
between  Ospedaletti  and  San  Remo,  and  we 
more  than  once  caught  sight  of  it  whilst  on 
the  road.  Situated  at  a  point  where  magni- 
ficent views  of  San  Remo,  Bordighera,  the 
hills  of  Ventimiglia  and  the  Mediterranean 
are  to  be  obtained,  its  position  is  such  as  to 
tempt  any  traveller  from  the  main  road. 
But  it  was  not  this  reason  alone  which  made 
us  bend  our  steps  up  the  mule-path  which 
leads  up  the  hillside  through  fields  of  carna- 
tions and  roses,  with  here  and  there  a  lemon 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo 


45 


garden  full  of  pale,  golden  fruit.  Coldirodi 
possesses  a  good  library  and  picture  gallery, 
and  the  Antiquary — to  whom  books  and 
pictures  naturally  mean  so  much — was  especi- 
ally anxious  that  I  should  see  it.  Its  founder, 
Stefano  Paolo  Rambaldi,  was,  said  my  friend, 
as  we  walked  along,  a  man  after  his  own  heart. 
Born  at  Coldirodi  in  1803,  he  had  early 
entered  the  priesthood,  had  attained  con- 
siderable reputation  in  his  profession,  and  in 
consequence  had  been  appointed  to  the  chair 
of  literature  and  ecclesiastical  history  at  the 
Seminary  in  Florence.  A  true  patriot  and  a 
man  of  broad  views,  he  had  been  on  terms  of 
close  friendship  with  Silvio  Pellico,  Pellegrino 
Farini,  Gioberti,  and  other  leaders  in  the 
Italian  struggle  for  independence  ;  and  as  a 
result  had  had  to  suffer,  though  not  so  keenly 
as  some.  Having  by  then  become  Rector  of 
the  Seminary,  the  worst  blow  that  his  enemies 
could  deal  him  was  to  obtain  his  dismissal. 
Fortunately,  his  means  and  temperament  were 
such  as  to  enable  him  to  support  the  injustice  : 
he  had  sought  consolation  in  work  and  in 
study,  and  in  the  gathering  together  of  that 
collection  of  manuscripts,  books,  and  pictures 
which,  at  his  death  in  1865,  were  found  to 
be  bequeathed  to  his  native  village. 


46    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


The  Rambaldi  library,  which,  Hke  the 
picture  gallery,  is  housed  in  theMunicipio 
buildings,  consists  of  more  than  six  thousand 
volumes.  It  is  interesting  rather  to  the 
special  than  general  student,  and  the  large 
number  of  works  on  ecclesiastical  history 
which  it  contains  clearly  reflects  the  tastes 
of  its  founder.  Book-lovers  and  collectors 
will  find  many  things  to  interest  them.  The 
incunabula  include  Acciacioli  and  Poggio's 
Historiae  florentinae,  printed  in  Florence  in 
1492  ;  VArt  de  bien  muorir,  1452  ;  Nicolaus 
de  Cusa's  Opera  prima  edita,  1480  ;  a  Bihlia 
vulgata^  1480  ;  and  an  Imitatione  de  Christe, 
Florence,  1494.  Among  the  manuscripts  is 
a  fourteenth  century  Italian  translation  of 
Plutarch,  Triunfus'  Tradatus  super  Ave 
Mariae,  on  parchment,  dated  1283,  and 
Istories  fiorentines,  collected  by  Cosimo 
Vetturi  Mazzi  in  1669-1700.  Rambaldi's 
connection  with  the  Italian  movement  natur- 
ally resulted  in  correspondence  with  its 
leaders,  and  autograph  letters  by  PelHco, 
Alessandro  Manzoni,  Gioberti,  Farini,  Gio- 
vanni Ruffini,  and  Garibaldi  are  included  in 
the  library.  As  to  his  pictures,  which  fill 
two  small  rooms  and  number  about  a 
hundred,  they  are  such  as  a  cultivated  and 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo 


47 


keen  collector,  unprovided  with  large  means, 
often  manages  in  courseof  time  to  get  together. 
Whether  they  are  all  genuine  examples  of 
the  work  of  the  great  masters  (Guido  Reni, 
Paul  Veronese,  Salvator  Rosa,  Andrea  del 
Sarto,  Carlo  Dolci,  and  Velasquez  are  all 
represented)  is  open  to  doubt.  But  what 
gallery,  however  celebrated,  does  not  contain 
some  pictures  of  doubtful  authenticity  ? 
After  one  has  set  aside,  however,  a  few  works 
which  the  expert,  for  one  reason  or  another, 
but  generally  that  of  poor  drawing,  would 
hesitate  to  attribute  to  great  artists,  one  is 
bound  to  admit  that  in  many  cases  Paolo 
Rambaldi's  judgment  was  unerring.  The 
gem  of  the  collection  is  a  small  picture  of 
the  Holy  Family,  with  two  angels  and  St. 
John,  by  Fra  Bartholommeo  :  a  picture  so 
admirable  in  every  way  that  it  has  rightly 
been  considered  worthy  of  special  protection 
in  a  case  with  gilded  doors.  There  are  three 
other  pictures  of  the  Madonna  and  Jesus 
which  are  also  to  be  ranked  among  works  of 
high  artistic  merit  :  one  by  Guido  Reni  (an 
oval  painting  on  wood)  ;  another  by  Andrea 
del  Sarto  ;  and  a  third,  the  original  drawing 
of  which  is  stated  by  the  catalogue  to  be  in 
the  Uffizi  Gallery,  in  Florence,  by  Lorenzo 


48    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


di  Credi.  A  St.  Michael,  the  preliminary 
sketch  of  a  work  which  is  in  Rome  ;  and  a 
Nazareen,  both  by  Guido  Reni ;  a  St.  Mark 
writing,  signed  Salvator  Rosa ;  a  portrait 
of  a  young  man,  by  Velasquez  ;  and  a  St. 
Sebastian,  very  fine  in  its  colouring,  by  an 
artist  of  the  Ferrara  School,  are  among  the 
remaining  pictures  which  a  connoisseur  would 
single  out  for  special  attention. 

A  path  leading  out  at  the  top  end  of  the 
village  into  the  mountains  took  us,  before 
leaving  Coldirodi,  to  the  high  northern  ground 
from  which  one  of  the  best  views  of  the 
village,  stretched  out  along  the  ridge  and 
standing  out  against  the  sea  and  the  sky, 
can  be  obtained  ;  then,  returning  to  its  little 
piazza  J  which  faces  the  church  and  the 
Municipio,  we  turned  down  a  vicolo  and 
reached  the  mule-path  which,  by  way  of  the 
Bernardo  valley,  leads  down  through  olive 
groves  to  the  Cornice  road  and  San  Remo. 

On  the  traveller  reaching  the  main  road 
again,  and  especially  that  part  of  it,  between 
the  Foce  and  Bernardo  torrents,  on  which 
the  Campo  Santo  and  the  English  Sports  Club 
stand,  it  is  time  for  him  to  pause  and  con- 
sider some  of  the  periods  of  history  through 
which  the  famous  town  he  has  seen  spread 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo  49 

out  beneath  his  feet  has  passed.  For  it  was 
on  this  very  spot,  according  to  Professor 
Rossi,  who  the  Antiquary  had  no  need  to 
remind  me  is  our  chief  authority  on  the 
history  of  this  part  of  Liguria,  that  the 
Roman  town  from  whose  ashes  San  Remo 
sprang  once  stood.  It  bore  the  name  of  the 
goddess  of  the  sea,  Matuta,  and  its  destruction, 
about  the  middle  of  the  seventh  century,  was 
the  work  of  Rothari,  King  of  the  Lombards. 
Rebuilt  by  its  tenacious  inhabitants,  it  was 
twice  again  destroyed,  this  time  by  the 
Saracens,  in  the  ninth  and  tenth  centuries, 
and  on  each  occasion  it  sprang  up  afresh. 
In  the  eleventh  century,  after  the  definite 
expulsion  of  the  Saracens,  it  was  known  by 
the  name  of  San  Romolo,  in  memory  of  one 
of  the  apostles  whom  the  Bishop  of  Genoa, 
several  centuries  before,  had  sent  to  Matuta 
to  preach  Christianity.  This  early  connection 
with  the  Church  led  to  San  Romolo  and 
several  other  villages  in  the  neighbourhood, 
including  CoUa  (now  Coldirodi),  Bussana,  and 
Taggia,  being  tributary  to  the  Bishop  of 
Genoa,  and  was  the  cause  of  constant  dis- 
agreement between  the  Republic  and  the 
ecclesiastical  authorities.  It  was  not,  indeed, 
until  1297,  when  Oberto  Doria,  by  consent 

4— (2230) 


50    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


of  the  Pope,  purchased  the  Archbishop  of 
Genoa's  feudal  rights  over  San  Romolo  that 
the  quarrel  came  to  an  end.  Judging  by 
events,  however,  this  change  of  ownership 
displeased  the  people.  There  were  frequent 
revolts,  and  the  Dorias,  unable  or  unwilling 
to  enforce  their  rights,  disposed  of  them,  in 
1301,  to  the  Republic.  San  Romolo  had  now 
become  San  Remo,  which  is  probably  a 
corrupted  form  of  the  town's  full  Latin  title  : 
Sanctus  RomolusinEremo."  ButGenoaand 
San  Remo  were  never  meant  to  agree,  and 
their  history  down  to  as  late  as  the  eighteenth 
century  is  one  almost  continuous  story  of 
friction.  The  people  of  both  towns  were 
masterful  and  ambitious,  and  the  Genoese 
looked  with  no  kindly  eye  on  the  growing 
maritime  importance  of  the  smaller  port. 
For  the  trade  of  the  San  Remese,  who 
possessed  no  fewer  than  eighty-four  ships, 
stretched  from  Corfu  to  Cadiz.  Troubles 
arose  in  1628  when  Victor,  Duke  of  Savoy, 
seized  the  Riviera,  and  his  claim  was  disputed 
by  the  Republic  ;  there  was  a  revolt  against 
her  authority  at  the  beginning  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  and,  a  little  more  than  fifty 
years  later,  following  rapidly  on  the  dis- 
turbances which  were  brought  about  by  the 


San  Remo  as  seen  from  the  Molo 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo 


51 


question  of  the  Spanish  Succession ,  open  war 
broke  out.  Little  CoUa  was  the  one  who  set 
a  match  to  the  powder  magazine,  with  her 
appeal  to  the  Republic  to  be  separated  from 
her  neighbour.  The  result  of  the  fight, 
however,  was  a  foregone  conclusion  :  San 
Remo  could  never  hope  to  stand  out  for  long 
against  Genoa  the  Superb,  and  in  the  end 
she  had  to  undergo  all  the  bitter  humihations 
which  invariably  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  con- 
quered. Her  trade  was  destroyed,  all  her 
civic  rights  were  taken  away,  her  citizens 
were  fined  and  imprisoned,  her  cathedral  of 
San  Siro  was  deprived  of  its  bell  and  part  of 
its  tower,  and,  what  was  hardest  of  all  to 
bear,  a  Doria  was  established  as  Governor  in 
her  finest  palace,  the  Palazzo  Borea,  and  a 
fort,  that  of  Santa  Tecla,  with  all  its  loop- 
holes pointing  towards  the  town,  was  erected 
at  the  harbour.  However,  she  had  not  long 
to  wait  for  her  freedom,  for  the  time  was 
rapidly  drawing  near  when  the  whole  of 
Liguria,  fired  by  the  principles  of  Liberty, 
Equality,  and  Fraternity,"  was  to  shatter 
the  power  of  the  autocratic  Genoese,  and 
finally  come  under  the  liberal  rule  of  the  House 
of  Savoy. 

Relieved  of  all  further  anxiety  as  far  as 


52    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


political  events  were  concerned,  San  Remo  was 
now  able  to  look  to  her  social  welfare,  and  as  we 
entered  the  western  end  of  the  town,  we  were 
repeatedly  reminded  of  the  latest  phase  in 
her  history,  the  one  in  which  her  inhabitants 
are  still  deeply  interested.  The  palatial  villas 
in  the  high-lying  Berigo  district,  the  fine  hotels 
on  the  sunny  hillside,  and  the  well-laid-out 
palm  gardens,  overlooking  the  sea  and  skirting 
the  Corso  dell'  Imperatrice,  were  an  eloquent 
proof  of  her  development  into  the  most  fashion- 
able of  all  the  resorts  on  the  Italian  Riviera. 
This  development,  said  the  Antiquary,  who  is 
particularly  well- versed  in  such  little  known 
details  of  local  history,  was  the  result  of  half 
a  century  of  combined  efforts  on  the  part  of 
the  San  Remese.  But  the  principal  credit 
was  due  to  Dr.  Panizzi,  who,  in  1857,  entered 
upon  a  well-conceived  plan  of  campaign  to 
make  known  to  the  Anglo-Saxon  world  the 
peculiar  advantages  of  the  climate  of  his 
native  district.  He  began  by  making  the 
acquaintance  of  an  influential  English  man 
of  letters,  and,  through  him,  publishing  a 
detailed  article  in  The  Times.  A  pamphlet, 
dealing  still  more  fully  with  San  Remo  and 
its  climate,  was  issued  in  1860,  and  translated 
into  English  three  years  later.    Dr.  Panizzi 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo  53 


then  went  to  London,  where  he  pubhshed 
numerous  articles.  Returning  home,  he  con- 
tinued his  work  with  redoubled  energy,  and 
endeavoured  to  make  the  Anglo-Italian  bond 
still  stronger  by  translating  works  from 
English  into  his  own  language.  And  thus, 
by  the  winter  of  1874-75,  San  Remo  had 
become  a  popular  resort. 

During  the  season,  which  begins  in  October 
and  ends  in  May,  San  Remo  presents  all  the 
well-known  characteristics  of  an  international 
resort.  Everybody's  attention  is  engrossed 
in  social  gatherings  and  the  amusements  with 
which  society  people  endeavour  to  counteract 
their  ennui.  Each  nation  follows  its  own 
particular  tastes.  The  Englishman  spends  a 
good  deal  of  his  time  on  the  tennis-court  or 
the  golf  links  ;  the  German  drinks  his  lager 
at  the  caff^  and  patronises  the  operas  and 
classical  concerts  at  the  Casino ;  whilst  the  Rus- 
sian loses  his  money  on  the  gaming-tables  of 
that  showy  building,  which  stands,  surrounded 
by  a  terrace  garden,  opposite  the  railway 
station,  and  the  entrance  to  the  Via  Vittoria 
Emmanuele.  The  recognised  English  quarter, 
with  its  churches  and  Sports  Club,  lies  in  the 
Berigo  district  and,  generally  speaking,  the 
whole  of  the  western  part  of  the  town  ;  the 


54    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Germans  for  the  most  part  reside  in  the 
eastern  quarter,  where  stands  the  Villa  Zirio, 
in  which  Frederick  III  of  Germany  passed 
his  long  agony.  The  Via  Vittorio  Emmanuele 
and  its  prolongation,  the  Piazza  Colombo  and 
the  Corso  Garibaldi,  forms  a  connecting  link 
between  the  two  quarters,  and  in  this,  the 
main  street  of  the  town,  all  nations  congregate. 
One  must  be  a  polyglot  to  understand  all 
the  notices.  For  an  attempt  is  made  by  the 
shopkeepers  of  San  Remo  to  cater  for  the 
requirements  of  many  peoples.  French  dress- 
makers and  milliners  display  their  wares 
from  Paris,  English  grocers  and  libraries 
supply  the  bodily  and  mental  wants  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon,  Viennese  cafes  and  German 
restaurants  provide  for  Teutonic  visitors, 
Russian  tea-rooms  and  book-stores  invite  the 
attention  of  the  Slav  ;  and  so  in  the  case  of 
the  Italian,  the  Spanish,  and  even  the 
H  ebrew .  As  we  walked  along  the  Via  Vittorio 
Emmanuele  many  of  the  shops  were  only  just 
being  put  in  order  ready  for  the  arrival  of 
their  patrons,  so  on  this  particular  visit  to 
San  Remo  I  saw  nothing  of  its  fashionable 
side.  And  it  was  just  as  well  that  it  was  so, 
for  it  enabled  us,  during  our  week's  sojourn 
there,  to  devote  our  exclusive  attention  to 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo 


55 


what  is  best  worth  seeing  and  studying  :  the 
old  town  and  the  Hfe  of  its  people  (so  different 
from  that  of  the  foreign  colony),  its  churches, 
and  its  public  monuments. 

The  Antiquary  was  a  true  prophet  when 
he  predicted  that  I  should  find  the  old  town 
beautiful.  It  is  none  too  clean,  the  nose  is 
offended  at  many  a  turn,  and  the  death-rate 
of  its  inhabitants,  deprived  of  light  and  air, 
is  high.  But  it  is  exceedingly  picturesque, 
and  so  fascinating  does  it  become  that  one 
is  attracted  there  time  after  time,  to  explore 
the  innumerable  winding  ways  which  lead  to 
the  top  of  the  hill  on  whose  sides  it  is  built. 
Its  position  has  never  been  better  described 
than  by  John  Addington  Symonds,  who, 
referring  to  his  visit  prior  to  1879,  says  that 
*'  it  resembles  a  huge  glacier  of  houses  poured 
over  a  wedge  of  rock,  running  down  the  sides 
and  along  the  ridge,  and  spreading  itself  into 
a  fan  between  two  torrents  on  the  shore 
below.*'  These  houses  seem  to  be  clinging 
to  each  other,  seeking  mutual  aid  and  pro- 
tection from  some  unseen  danger,  as  indeed 
they  are,  for  all  along  the  centuries,  ever 
since  the  days  of  Matuta,  earthquakes  have 
shaken  San  Remo  to  her  base.  Here  and 
there  are  arches,  binding   them  together. 


56    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


but  at  times  they  actually  meet,  forming  a 
solid  block  of  irregular  buildings,  and  on 
passing  through  these  parts  of  the  town  you 
find  above  your  head,  instead  of  a  peep  of 
deep  blue  sky,  the  vaulted  roofs  of  dark  and 
tortuous  passages.  The  cobbled  streets  wind 
in  and  out  in  apparently  aimless  confusion, 
now  rising  gently  up  the  hill,  now  ascending 
abruptly  by  a  flight  of  steps.  They  lead  you 
past  churches,  with  the  faint  odour  of  incense 
around  their  doors — past  shrines,  placed  over 
archways  or  at  street  corners,  and  piously 
decked  with  flowers — on  to  little  piazzas 
with  fountains  and  small  provision  shops 
overflowing  with  vividly-coloured  fruit  and 
vegetables,  a  sudden  joy  to  the  eye  ;  and 
then,  higher  up,  out  into  a  blaze  of  dazzling 
sunshine,  through  the  Porta  CandeUeri  or 
the  Porta  San  Giuseppe,  where  a  fragment  of 
the  original  wall  which  once  protected  the 
town  from  Saracens  or  Genoese  still  stands, 
and  an  ancient  vine  climbs  skywards  to  bear 
its  fruit  on  a  sunny  terrace. 

Many  an  hour,  whilst  my  friend  was 
searching  for  his  curios — and  he  confessed 
that  he  had  a  predilection  for  old  San  Remo 
as  a  place  where,  outside  a  general  shop,  he 
had  once  discovered  a  roll  of  original  drawings 


The  Porta  San  Giuseppe  at  San  Remo 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo  57 


by  old  masters — many  an  hour  have  I 
wandered  in  these  streets  watching  the  people 
at  their  daily  occupations.  There  is  the 
blacksmith  whose  form  suddenly  appears  in 
the  glow  of  the  furnace  at  the  bottom  of  some 
dark  and  narrow  smithy ;  the  ever-busy 
cobbler  and  the  maker  of  pack-saddles  working 
at  their  doors  ;  the  baker  shovelling  in  his 
loaves  at  the  open  door  of  his  oven.  Women 
are  continually  passing  in  and  out,  balancing 
long  trays  of  bread  upon  their  heads  ;  and, 
as  you  observe  them,  you  begin  to  understand 
the  reason  for  the  remarkably  erect  carriage 
of  the  women  of  San  Remo.  Even  the  aged 
ones,  who  are  left  at  home  to  mind  the  children 
whilst  their  sons  and  daughters  are  away  in 
the  pine-woods  or  vineyards,  are  as  straight 
as  a  dart,  so  that  you  wonder,  when  you 
Jook  into  their  yellow,  wrinkled  faces,  how 
old  they  really  are.  There  is  no  sign  of 
decrepitude  in  their  carriage  as  they  pass  to 
and  fro  between  their  homes  and  the  foun- 
tains, bearing  huge  water- vessels  of  burnished 
copper  upon  their  heads.  Such  are  some  of 
the  scenes  which  form  an  unforgetable  picture 
of  these  fascinating  old  streets  ;  a  picture, 
however,  which  is  never  complete  without 
the   mischievous,    dark-eyed   children,  the 


58    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


black-robed  priests,  the  white-capped  nuns, 
and  the  contadinij  with  their  mules  and  asses, 
loaded  with  grapes  or  brushwood,  clattering 
down  the  stony  streets  at  the  end  of  the  day. 

Either  of  the  two  ancient  gateways  leads 
to  the  top  of  the  hill :  the  Porta  Candelieri 
on  one  side  and  the  Porta  San  Giuseppe,  up 
the  Rampe  al  Santuario,  past  a  succession 
of  painted  shrines,  on  the  other.  On  the 
summit  stands  the  most  prominently  situated 
church  of  San  Remo,  the  Madonna  della 
Costa,  a  fifteenth  century  oratory  which  was 
transformed  to  its  present  state  in  1630,  and 
whose  dome  is  a  landmark  for  mariners. 
Below  is  a  little  semicircular  plateau,  laid 
out  as  a  public  garden,  and  almost  on  the 
same  level,  but  to  the  west  of  the  Sanctuary, 
stands  the  green-shuttered  lazar-house,  which 
was  endowed  in  1846  by  Carlo  Alberto  for  the 
exclusive  treatment  of  leprosy.  Only  four 
or  five  patients  suffering  from  this  disease,  a 
white-robed  doctor  told  me,  are  now  under 
observation  there,  so  the  wards  are  almost 
entirely  devoted  to  cases  of  ordinary  sickness. 
From  the  garden  is  to  be  obtained  the  finest 
of  the  many  fine  views  which  can  be  got 
of  San  Remo  either  from  above  or  below  : 
a     view    of    weather-beaten  housetops. 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo 


59 


roof-gardens,  convent  turrets  and  campaniles, 
with  the  blue  sea  and  the  long,  projecting 
arm  of  the  Molo  lying  beyond. 

Of  the  many  churches  of  San  Remo,  the 
one  to  impress  me  most  was  San  Siro,  princi- 
pally, perhaps,  on  account  of  the  extremely 
picturesque  view  of  its  tower,  as  seen  when 
looking  down  the  Via  Palma,  but  also  because 
of  the  prominent  part  which  the  building 
and  its  former  bell  once  played  in  the  political 
affairs  of  the  town.  Many  a  time  did  the 
bell  call  the  people  to  take  up  arms  against 
the  hated  Republic  of  Genoa,  and  many  a 
time  was  the  church  the  meeting-place  for 
crowds  of  indignant  San  Remese.  Architec- 
turally it  is  not  very  noteworthy.  For  fine 
architecture  you  must  turn  to  one  of  the 
civic  buildings  of  San  Remo  :  the  Palazzo 
Borea,  in  the  Via  Vittorio  Emmanuele.  It 
was  built  at  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
and  is  in  the  late  Renaissance  style,  and  the 
sculptured  nymphs  and  dolphins  around  the 
doors  and  windows  are  in  a  very  good  state 
of  preservation.  As  to  its  interior,  one 
suspects  that  it  must  have  lost  much  of  its 
former  beauty,  for,  with  the  exception  of  one 
floor,  which  is  still  occupied  by  members  of 
the  Borea  family,  it  has  been  split  up  into 


60     Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


tenements  and  shops.  Far  away,  indeed,  are 
the  days  when  it  received  beneath  its  roof 
such  passing  guests  as  King  PhiHp  V  of 
Spain  and  his  wife  Ehzabetta  Farnese,  King 
Charles  Emanuel  of  Sardinia  and  his  sons 
Vittorio  Amedeo  and  Ottone,  Pius  VII,  and 
Queen  Maria  Christina  of  Savoy  ! 

A  narrow,  ancient  street,  opposite  the 
entrance  to  the  Palazzo  Borea,  leads  down 
to  the  fisher-folks'  quarter  and  the  sea.  Here 
are  to  be  seen  other  aspects  of  the  everyday 
life  of  the  San  Remese.  On  fete-days  and 
Sundays,  on  a  large  piazza,  near  the  house 
from  which  Garibaldi  "  comforted  the  people  " 
in  September,  1848,  there  are  eagerly  followed 
games  of  pallone^  or  hand-ball ;  and  beneath 
the  shadow  of  the  Fort  of  Santa  Tecla,  now 
used  as  a  prison,  less  agile  players  take  part 
in  hotly-contested  bowling  competitions.  The 
work  of  the  people  largely  takes  the  form  of 
fishing  ;  and  a  very  unprofitable  occupation 
it  often  seems  to  be.  The  net  is  carefully  let 
down  in  a  semicircle  from  a  row-boat ;  the 
fishermen  then  make  a  round  of  the  line  of 
floats,  beating  the  gunwales  with  their  oars, 
in  order  to  frighten  the  fish  towards  the 
meshes  ;  and,  finally,  comes  the  long  task  of 
dragging  in  from  the  shore  the  two  ends  of 


On  the  Road  to  San  Remo 


61 


the  net.  As  the  ever-narrowing  loop  formed 
by  the  floats  comes  nearer  and  nearer, 
spectators  stand  and  watch  with  an  expecta- 
tion almost  as  keen  as  that  of  the  fishermen 
themselves.  Everybody  wonders  what  the 
bag  of  the  net  will  contain  ;  and  when,  with 
a  final  jerk,  it  is  rapidly  pulled  on  to  the 
beach,  the  people  crowd  around  to  inspect 
the  catch.  Alas  !  it  too  often  contains  but  a 
mere  handful  of  fry,  and  the  workers,  ill  repaid 
for  their  labour,  turn  sorrowfully  homewards. 


A  shrine  in  old  San  Remo 


Bussana  Vecchia 


CHAPTER  III 

BUSSANA  :   OLD  AND  NEW 

Chateaubriand,  in  his  Genie  du  Christian- 
isme,  gives  a  very  lucid  explanation  of  the 
reason  for  the  secret  attraction "  which 
ruins  exercise  over  man.  It  is  due,  he  says, 
"  to  the  fragility  of  our  nature,  to  a  secret 
conformity  between  these  shattered  monu- 
ments and  the  rapidity  of  our  existence.  .  .  . 
Ruins,  in  the  midst  of  the  scenes  of  Nature, 
point  a  great  moral.** 

In  the  case  of  an  essentially  contemplative 
man  this  feeling  certainly  rules  supreme, 
and  it  must  surely  play  a  part,  too,  though  a 
minor  one,  in  the  heart  of  even  the  least 

62 


Bussana  :   Old  and  New 


63 


reflective.  It  is  something  more  than  mere 
curiosity  which  leads  our  steps  towards  those 
places  where  every  stone  cries  forth  the 
frailty  and  the  transitoriness  of  man's  handi- 
work. Whether  we  are  visiting  the  ruins  of 
Pompeii  or  those  of  Bussana  Vecchia,  the 
feeling  is  the  same.  If  difference  there  is,  it 
is  one  in  degree  only  ;  the  difference  which 
naturally  exists  between  our  emotions  when 
looking  on  the  remains  of  a  great  city,  buried 
under  the  ashes  of  Vesuvius,  and  those 
aroused  by  the  earthquake-shattered  walls 
of  a  poor  little  mountain  village. 

What  Pompeii,  then,  is  to  the  visitor  to 
Naples,  Old  Bussana  is  to  the  winter  resi- 
dents of  San  Remo.  They  are  all  of  them 
acquainted  with  the  fact  that  they  are  Uving 
within  one  of  the  well-known  zones  that  are 
periodically  visited  by  earthquakes  ;  some 
of  them,  doubtless,  have  been  shaken  in 
their  beds  and  heard  the  terrified  cries  of 
"  Terremoto !  in  the  streets  ;  and  all,  having 
read  of  the  great  shock  of  1887,  they  would 
see  with  their  own  eyes  some  of  the  effects 
of  that  hidden  force  whose  approach  scientists 
are  still  unable  to  foretell,  and  whose  nature 
they  have  not  yet  been  able  wholly  to  explain. 
So  they  follow  the  road  eastward  by  the  sea, 


64    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


ascend  to  Bussana  Nuova,  proceed  up  the 
valley  on  foot  or  on  the  backs  of  mules, 
wander  among  the  deserted  streets  of  the 
silent  old  town,  lunch  within  the  shadow  of 
its  ruined  church,  and,  after  listening  to  the 
stories  which  the  contadini  of  the  district 
still  tell  about  that  23rd  of  February,  return 
home,  feeling  that  they  have  looked  upon  a 
picture  which  is  only  a  few  degrees  less  vivid 
than  reality.  Some,  unsatisfied  with  any 
save  subtle  sensations,  have  even  visited 
Old  Bussana  by  moonlight.  But  there  is  no 
need  to  seek  to  heighten  the  impression  by 
seeing  it  under  unusual  aspects  ;  it  is  suffi- 
ciently impressive,  in  all  conscience,  in  the 
full  light  of  day. 

Bussana  Nuova  stands  on  an  eminence 
above  the  Cornice  road,  a  little  more  than 
two  miles  from  the  older  village,  and  I  can 
find  nothing  to  say  in  its  favour,  save  that 
it  enjoys  a  fine  view  of  sea  and  mountains. 
If  ever  there  was  an  example  of  how  ignorance 
and  superstition  can  enslave  the  human  mind, 
here,  surely,  we  see  it.  When  the  earthquake 
came,  kilhng  forty-three  people  and  injuring 
twenty-seven  others,  Old  Bussana  was  found 
to  be  too  badly  damaged,  besides  being  too 
full   of  sorrowful   memories,   to    think  of 


cq 


Bussana  :  Old  and  New 


65 


remaining  there  ;  so  the  inhabitants  wisely 
decided  to  rebuild  their  homes  on  a  less 
dangerous  site,  and  within  nearer  reach  of 
civilization.  But  how  did  they  expend  the 
money  which  the  Government  loaned  to  them 
for  eleven  years  free  of  interest  ?  In  a  manner 
which  even  an  American  backwoods  town 
would  consider  as  a  disgrace.  The  houses 
are  of  the  cheapest  :  ill-built,  ugly  in  design, 
and  so  badly  kept  in  repair  that  they  are 
already  falling  into  decay ;  the  broad, 
regularly  laid  out  streets  are  unpaved,  and 
in  many  cases  without  side  walks.  Here  and 
there  they  are  overgrown  with  grass,  and 
everywhere  there  is  mud.  Poverty  and 
uncleanliness  stare  you  in  the  face  or  peep 
through  the  open  doors  of  the  houses.  Where- 
fore this  singular  squalidness  ?  The  reason 
is  not  far  to  seek.  In  the  midst  of  the 
wretched  houses  rises  a  massive  stone  temple, 
one  of  the  masterpieces  of  modern  church 
architecture  and  decoration.  Dedicated  to 
the  Holy  Heart  of  Jesus,  everything  that 
money  can  do  has  been  done  to  make  it  what 
is  called  a  fitting  offering.  Huge  statues 
adorn  the  apse,  elaborate  mural  paintings 
decorate  the  ceiling  and  sides,  the  most 
precious  marbles  and  metals  have  been  used 

5— (2230) 


66    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


to  beautify  the  altar.  Carving  and  gilding 
obtrude  themselves  both  inside  and  outside. 
The  size  of  this  incongruous  building  strikes 
one,  too,  as  much  as  its  elaborate  decoration. 
Its  dimensions  are  out  of  all  proportion  to  the 
requirements  of  the  worshippers  of  the  village, 
its  length  from  door  to  choir  being  forty  yards, 
its  breadth  twenty-four  yards,  and  its  height 
the  same.  What  a  contrast  between  this 
gorgeous  sanctuary  and  the  shabby  dwelling- 
houses  that  surround  it !  It  is  impossible 
not  to  conclude  that  the  one  must  have 
grown  up  at  the  expense  of  the  other.  And 
such,  in  fact,  was  the  case.  On  the  people 
of  Old  Bussana  fleeing  down  the  valley  they 
had  but  one  thought  :  How  were  they  to 
appease  the  Deity  who  had  smitten  them 
hip  and  thigh  ?  Evidently  by  building  a 
magnificent  church  in  his  honour.  So  all 
other  considerations  :  health,  the  rearing  of 
strong  sons  and  daughters,  and  the  happiness 
of  the  home — became  subordinate  to  this  one 
idea.  And  thus  it  was  that  the  Sanctuary 
of  Bussana  Nuova  absorbed,  not  only  the 
public  subscriptions  which  flowed  in  from  all 
parts  of  the  Catholic  world,  but  also  most  of 
the  savings  of  the  inhabitants,  that  they 
never  repaid  the  200,000  lire  lent  them  by 


Bussana  :   Old  and  New 


67 


the  Government,  and  that  they  are  to-day 
hving  in  a  state  of  sordid  poverty  ! 

What  a  rehef  to  leave  the  last  houses  behind 
and  find  oneself  on  the  irregular  path,  now 
steep,  now  level,  which  leads  to  Bussana 
Vecchia  !  A  broad  and  fairly  deep  valley, 
that  of  the  Arma  torrent,  lies  at  your  feet  on 
the  left  :  a  landscape  of  many  greens,  but 
principally  those  of  the  vine  and  the  olive. 
Soon,  the  little  village  of  Poggio  comes  into 
view,  a  stretch  of  white  houses  buried  in 
verdure  on  the  ridge  of  the  opposite  hillside, 
and  with  a  background  of  distant  mountains 
to  throw  it  still  more  strongly  into  relief. 
Old  Bussana,  too,  now  grows  into  being,  and 
at  this  distance  one  would  never  suspect,  if 
one  did  not  know  her  story,  that  she  is  a  body 
without  a  soul.  The  spire  of  her  church 
rises  from  amidst  the  houses,  which  cluster 
around  this  symbol  of  spiritual  Hfe  in  that 
familiar,  homely  way  which  gives  so  many 
of  these  Ligurian  townlets  their  wealth  of 
character.  This  impression  of  vitality,  how- 
ever, is  fleeting.  The  rugged  edges  of  crumb- 
ling walls,  the  frameless  windows,  gaping  like 
the  empty  sockets  of  a  skull,  tell  their  tale 
long  before  one  has  entered  the  narrow  alley 
leading  into  the  deserted  village.    The  main 


68    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


street,  winding  up  towards  the  church, 
and  the  vicoli  are  scattered  with  stones  ;  the 
earthquake  arches  remain  intact,  but  were 
unable  to  prevent  the  renting  of  roof  and 
wall ;  the  cottage  interiors,  open  some  of 
them  to  the  sky,  are  obstructed  by  heaps  of 
stones  and  plaster.  As  though  to  cover  up 
this  picture  of  desolation,  vegetation  has 
sprung  up  wherever  it  could  gain  a  foothold. 
The  church  and  the  houses  in  the  upper 
quarter  of  the  village,  where  the  shocks  did 
most  damage,  stand  in  a  wilderness  of  rank 
weeds  and  grass,  and  on  the  lower  fringe, 
overlooking  the  valley,  what  were  once  living 
rooms  have  in  some  cases  become  wild  gardens, 
with  trailing  vine  and  hard-fruited  orange 
tree.  It  is  in  this  high-lying  part  of  Old 
Bussana  that  memories  of  the  earthquake 
are  most  vivid,  and  whilst  visiting  the  roofless 
church  one  tries  to  realise  what  the  impression 
on  the  minds  of  the  worshippers  must  have 
been  at  the  moment  of  the  terrible  cataclysm. 

It  was  the  first  day  of  Lent,  the  hour 
6.25  a.m.,  and  the  mark  of  the  holy  ashes 
having  been  placed  on  the  forehead  of  the 
last  arrival.  Canon  Fresia,  of  the  Collegiate 
Church  of  Pieve  di  Teco,  was  about  to  ascend 
into  the  pulpit  to  remind  his  listeners  that 


The  Ruined  Church  of  Old  Bussana 


Bussana  :  Old  and  New 


69 


they  had  not  only  to  die,  but  that  the  place 
and  hour  were  uncertain.  Suddenly,  a  slight 
breeze,  which  had  sprung  up  only  a  short 
time  before,  changed  to  a  furious  and  ever- 
increasing  wind.  The  earth  shook  and  heaved 
with  long  undulations,  and,  amidst  the  noise 
of  falling  walls,  the  splintering  of  wood  and 
the  twisting  of  iron,  there  were  heard  the 
cries  and  shrieks  of  the  injured.  All  at  once, 
however,  these  sounds  were  drowned  by  a 
still  louder  crash — that  of  the  falling  of  the 
church  roof — and  the  worshippers,  who  had 
fled  to  the  side  chapels  at  the  first  cry  of 
Terremoto  !  Terremoto  !  Salvatevi  !  "  were 
enveloped  in  a  dense  cloud  of  dust.  And 
when  the  rector,  who  had  succeeded  in  lighting 
a  candle,  stumbled  into  the  midst  of  the  ruins, 
he  beheld,  on  raising  his  eyes,  the  twinkling 
stars. 

A  portion  of  the  fagade  also  fell,  completely 
destroying  a  house,  which  is  ever  pointed 
out  to  visitors,  and  killing  nearly  all  its 
occupants.  Three  sons  were  crushed  to  death 
there,  a  fourth  was  hurled  into  a  corner  and 
escaped,  and  the  father  saved  his  life  almost 
miraculously.  But  the  mother  met  her  death 
in  a  particularly  tragic  manner.  Surrounded 
by  ruins,  she  was  unable  to  escape  from  her 


70    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


bed,  and  saw  the  roof  slowly  descending  upon 
her.    Those  outside  could  hear  her  cries  of 

Farewell "  to  sons  and  husband  growing 
ever  weaker  and  weaker,  but  were  powerless 
to  help  her. 

Wandering  among  the  now  lifeless  streets 
of  Bussana  Vecchia,  it  seems  impossible  that 
they  can  ever  have  been  the  stage  of  those 
famihar  everyday  scenes  which  make  up  the 
life  of  every  Italian  village.  Yet  they  were 
once  as  full  of  life  as  the  most  animated. 
Roguish  children  played  at  toss-penny  down 
the  side  alleys,  women  stood  at  their  doors 
or  lingered  at  the  well  gossiping  over  the 
latest  piece  of  news  that  had  travelled  up  the 
valley,  and  the  men  assembled  at  the  trattoria 
to  smoke  and  drink  and  play  bowls.  Here, 
at  this  corner,  beneath  a  shattered  shrine, 
Giovanni  plighted  his  troth  to  Lucia,  as  she 
was  returning  from  the  fountain  ;  here,  in 
this  disembowelled  interior,  with  windows 
looking  on  to  the  valley  and  flooded  with 
sunlight,  the  betrothal  feast  was  held  ;  and 
here,  in  this  church,  before  the  now  broken 
altar,  they  were  married. 

Few  though  the  victims  of  the  1887  earth- 
quake may  appear  to  have  been  in  Bussana 
Vecchia,  there  was  not  a  family  that  did  not 


Bussana  :   Old  and  New 


71 


pay  tribute  to  Death.  Everybody  lost  either 
a  close  or  distant  relative,  and  the  little 
camposanto  which  lies  a  short  distance  off 
the  road  between  the  old  and  the  new  village, 
is  still  to  many  an  inhabitant  of  Bussana 
Nuova,  though  it  is  more  than  twenty  years 
since  the  catastrophe  overwhelmed  them,  a 
sad  place  of  pilgrimage. 


The  Cemetery,  Old  Bussana 


Ru/ftni's  country  house  at  Taggia 


CHAPTER  IV 

ON  THE  BANKS  OF  THE  ARGENTINA 

It  would  manifestly  be  incorrect  to  say  that 
any  particular  one  of  the  great  valleys  of 
Liguria  possesses  a  monopoly  of  beauty. 
Each  has  some  special  characteristic  which 
distinguishes  it  from  one  or  other  of  its 
neighbours,  and  places  it,  in  the  mind  of  the 
traveller,  in  a  clearly  defined  category.  Thus, 
the  names  of  the  Nervia  and  the  Argentina, 
the  Impero  and  the  Arroscia,  the  Bisagno  and 
the  Scrivia,  the  Taro  and  the  Vara,  the  Magra 
and  the  other  intermediary  torrents  whose 
banks  we  followed  during  our  three  months' 
wanderings,  recalled  a  varied  series  of  land- 
scapes, which,  each  perfect  in  itself,  form  that 

72 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina  73 


rare   and  beautiful  picture   of   the  whole 
province  which  never  fades  from  the  memory. 
On  reaching  the  Argentina,  which  was  the 
next  valley  to  which  we  came  on  our  journey 
eastward,  we  were   quick  to   discover  its 
dominating  feature.    Its  rich  alluvial  land 
has  made  it,  at  its  lower  portion,  the  fruit 
garden  of  this  part  of  Italy,  as  is  evident — 
long  before  one  has  covered  the  two  miles 
between  the  coast  villages  of  Arma  and  the 
inland  town  of  Taggia — from  the  extensive 
lemon  and  orange  groves,  and  orchards  rich 
with  almost  every  fruit  that  stretch  on  either 
hand.    It  might  also,  too,  be  called  the  valley 
of  the  violet,  since  large  quantities  of  this 
flower  are  grown  in  the  orchards  for  scent- 
making,  and  perfume  the  air  during  the  whole 
of  the  winter  and  spring.    But  it  is  essentially 
the  land  of  fruit,  and  at  every  season  of  the 
year  presents  a  wonderful  sight.    In  the 
spring  the  landscape  is  dotted  with  bouquets 
of  pink  and  white  blossom,  that  of  the  almond 
and  the  peach ;    then  follow  the  fragrant 
flowers  of  the  orange  and  lemon  ;   and  all 
through  the  winter,  glowing  amidst  their 
dark-green,  glossy  leaves,  hke    golden  lamps 
in  a  green  night/'  are  the  ever-enchanting 
golden  spheres.  Truly,  Boccaccio's  description 


74    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


of  this  lovely  fruit  is  none  too  extrava- 
gant. The  ripe  oranges  of  the  Argentina 
valley  are,  indeed,  like  fire  that  burns  on 
boughs  of  emerald "  ;  whilst  the  pale 
lemon  may  well  be  likened  to  a  lover  who 
has  passed  the  night  in  weeping  for  his  absent 
darling." 

Arma/  facing  the  beach,  on  the  right  of 
the  Argentina,  gave  us  no  idea  that  we  were 
upon  the  threshold  of  this  Arcadia.  It  is  a  little 
village  which  was  formerly  actively  engaged 
in  the  coasting  trade,  but  whose  energies  are 
now,  in  consequence  of  the  railway,  concen- 
trated on  the  prosaic  occupation  of  brick- 
making.  Historically,  however,  it  is  not 
without  interest.  In  the  flank  of  a  western 
hillock,  surmounted  by  an  ancient  fortress, 
is  a  grotto  which  has  been  converted  into  a 
chapel  and  dedicated  to  the  Madonna  Annun- 
ziata.  It  was  in  this  grotto,  which  is  situated 
about  seven  yards  above  sea-level,  and  pene- 
trates a  distance  of  seventeen  yards  into  the 
hillside,  that  the  Saracens,  in  900,  established 
one  of  those  military  bases  from  which  they 

1  "  Arma  "  is  a  dialect  word  signifying  grotto.  It  is 
frequently  met  with  in  Ligurian  place-names.  Cf.  Arma 
do  Rian,  or  Caverna  del  Rio  ;  Arma  de  Martin,  or  Caverna 
di  Martino  ;  Arma  de  Faje,  or  Caverna  delle  Fate — all 
names  of  grottos  in  the  Finalmarina  district. 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina  75 


periodically  set  out  to  plunder  the  coast  and 
hill  towns  of  Liguria.  Taggia  suffered  severe 
losses  both  in  men  and  money  from  this 
particular  colony.  But  at  last  the  Taggians 
succeeded  in  defeating  these  sporcissimi 
Saraceni,  as  the  chroniclers  disdainfully 
called  the  ferocious,  yet  intelligent  and 
cultured  inhabitants  of  Barbary,  and  out  of 
gratitude  to  the  Virgin  erected  a  chapel  on 
the  scene  of  their  victory.  Though  driven 
from  the  grotto,  the  Saracens,  however, 
continued  for  some  time  to  make  raids  on 
the  district,  so  on  January  10th,  1554,  the 
Parliament  of  Taggia  decided  to  construct  a 
fort  on  the  rocky  promontory  above  the 
cavern.  It  was  built  on  the  ruins  of  a  very 
ancient  fortress  which  had  been  destroyed  in 
1270  by  Bahano  Doria  in  order  to  punish 
the  Taggians  for  rebelling  against  Genoa. 
Whilst  the  work  was  in  progress  a  stone 
tablet  was  discovered,  bearing  a  Latin  in- 
scription which  recorded  a  memorable  feat 
of  arms  between  the  Romans  and  the  Ligu- 
rians.  Placed  over  the  entrance  to  the  new 
fortress,  this  valuable  historical  document 
was  naturally  regarded  with  great  pride  by 
the  people  of  Taggia  and  Arma,  and  one  can 
well  understand  their  indignation  when,  in 


76    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


comparatively  recent  years,  the  Italian 
Government  sold  the  fort  and  the  hill  on 
which  it  stands  for  1,800  lire,  and  the  stone 
disappeared.  The  new  owner  removed  it 
from  its  place  of  honour  over  the  doorway, 
and  no  one — not  even  the  Antiquary — could 
tell  me  what  became  of  it. 

From  what  has  been  said  it  will  rightly  be 
judged  that  Taggia,  a  town  of  great  antiquity, 
since  one  of  her  historians  places  her  founda- 
tion as  far  back  as  the  days  of  the  Etruscans, 
has  played  no  mean  part  in  the  history  of 
Liguria.  She  is  said  to  have  possessed,  at 
one  time,  a  flourishing  port,  and  tradition 
makes  it  the  place  where,  in  1525,  after  the 
Battle  of  Pavia  had  been  fought  and  the 
French  had,  for  the  time  being,  lost  all  hope 
of  possessing  Italy,  Francis  I  was  embarked 
for  Spain  as  a  prisoner  of  war.  The  fact  that 
she  had  a  Parliament  of  her  own  shows  that 
she  had  pretensions  to  independence,  though 
she  may  not  always  have  been  able  to  uphold 
them,  and  may  at  times,  like  many  another 
townlet,  have  been  merely  the  shuttle-cock 
in  the  fierce  political  game  which  was  ever 
being  played  between  the  greater  powers  of 
Genoa  and  Ventimiglia  and  San  Remo. 
During  these  stormy  times  she  was  frequently 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina  77 


a  harbour  of  refuge  for  the  members  of  the 
noble  families  who  had  fallen  from  power  ; 
the  birthplace,  too,  of  many  men  who,  in  their 
turn,  rose  to  eminence.  The  Spinolas  owned 
one  of  the  largest  and  most  majestic  of  the 
palaces  of  Taggia  and  were  glad  to  make  it 
their  home  when  the  political  wheel  of 
fortune  in  Genoa  had  ceased  to  turn  in  their 
favour.  The  two  most  notable  families  who 
could  call  Taggia  their  home  were  those  of 
the  Lercaris  and  the  Curios.  Both  held  high 
positions  in  Church  and  State.  Cardinal 
Nicolo  Maria  Lercari  stood  forth  with  especial 
prominence  during  the  Papacy  of  Bene- 
dict XIII,  and  there  was  a  Monsignor 
Gerolamo  Curio,  whose  ashes  were  buried  in 
the  Dominican  Church  of  Taggia.  But  the 
most  noteworthy  of  the  Curios  were  Jacopo 
and  Roberto.  The  former  attained  a  high 
position  in  the  fourteenth  century  as  a  naval 
commander  and  ambassador  under  the 
Republic  of  Genoa,  whilst  the  latter,  in  1335, 
became  Lord  High  Chancellor  of  England. 

In  the  fifteenth  century  Taggia  was  a  place 
of  considerable  ecclesiastical  importance. 
Apart  from  her  various  old  churches,  the  most 
striking  proof  of  this  is  the  still  existing 
Dominican  Convent  and  Church,  which  were 


78    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


built  in  1460  in  accordance  with  plans  drawn 
up  by  the  Milanese  architects,  Antonio, 
Ambrogio,  and  Crist  of  oro  Bunicchi.  They 
stand  but  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  to  the 
south  of  the  town,  so,  by  turning  up  a  mule- 
path  on  the  left  of  the  main  road,  they  were 
the  first  of  her  ancient  monuments  to  which 
we  came.  The  convent  and  its  garden  are 
now  occupied  by  the  bersaglieri,  but  the 
church,  which  is  classed  as  a  national  monu- 
ment, has  been  respected,  though  the  scant 
care  which  is  shown  for  its  precious  contents 
says  little  for  the  watchfulness  of  the  authori- 
ties whose  duty  it  is  to  guard  them.  The 
convent  of  Santa  Maria  della  Misericordia 
was  the  abode,  in  the  fifteenth  century,  of  a 
little  colony  of  distinguished  painters.  Corrado 
di  Alemagna  was  one  of  them  ;  Ludovic  Brea, 
of  Nice,  was  another  ;  and  Emanuele  Macari, 
of  Pigna,  who  learnt  the  elements  of  his  art 
from  the  first-named,  was  a  third.  There 
must  certainly  have  been  many  others,  too, 
forming  a  community  which  can  rarely  have 
been  equalled  in  strength  and  harmony, 
since  it  was  bound  together  by  the  double 
bonds  of  religion  and  art.  Walking  through 
the  church  and  looking  at  the  pictures  which 
some  of  these  holy  men  left  behind  them  as 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina  79 


a  record  of  the  thoughts  which  Christ  and 
His  saints  had  inspired  in  their  hearts  during 
their  brief  earthly  sojourn,  we  could  not  help 
trying  to  realise  what  their  life  must  have 
been  within  their  quiet  and  studious  precincts. 
Prayer  and  meditation,  an  overwhelming 
belief  in  their  mission  and  in  the  uselessness 
of  all  human  effort  unless  directed  towards 
the  salvation  of  the  soul,  a  strong  love  of 
their  art,  and  the  glad  consciousness  that 
they  exercised  it  not  for  lucre,  but  for  the 
greater  glory  of  God,  such  were  some  of 
the  links  in  the  golden  chain  which  bound 
these  white-robed  brethren  together.  Most 
probably,  too,  they  conversed  about  their 
work  whilst  walking  in  groups  in  the  shady 
cloisters,  spoke  of  the  vision  or  inspiration 
which  had  come  to  them  from  on  high,  and 
then,  when  the  time  came  to  interpret  it  on 
canvas,  appealed  to  the  one  whom  they 
regarded  as  the  master  craftsman,  for  his 
helpful  criticism.  Great  earnestness  was  the 
dominating  characteristic  of  the  lives  of  the 
Dominican  painters  of  Taggia,  and  it  is 
reflected  in  every  one  of  the  pictures  with 
which  they  adorned  their  convent  church. 
They  include  a  Nativity,"  by  Molosso  ;  an 
"  Adoration  of  the  Magi,"  by  Pierin  del  Vaga  ; 


80    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


a  St.  Vincent  and  St.  Catherine/'  by  Piola  ; 
a  Madonna  del  Rosario/'  by  Brea  ;  and  a 
work,  The  Baptism  of  the  Saviour/'  hanging 
in  the  Uttle  chapel  to  the  left  of  the  altar, 
which  is  attributed  to  Perugino.  The  last- 
named  is,  perhaps,  the  finest  of  them  all. 
It  is  divided  into  a  number  of  panels.  Christ 
is  represented  on  the  central  ones,  St.  Sebas- 
tian, St.  Peter,  and  other  saints  on  others, 
and  on  a  bottom  panel,  the  Last  Supper. 
There  is  also  an  example  of  the  work  of 
Macari,  but,  much  to  our  disappointment, 
we  found  that  it  had  considerably  suffered 
from  the  damp,  which  threatens  to  spoil  this 
exceptionally  good  collection  of  pictures. 
The  roof  and  the  walls  of  the  church  are, 
indeed,  in  such  a  state  that  it  is  to  be  feared 
a  few  more  years  of  neglect  will  work  havoc 
with  most  of  these  adorable  paintings  of 
saints  and  angels  on  gold  grounds  and  their 
ornate  gilded  frames ;  a  fate  which  has 
already  befallen  some  pictures  attributed  to 
Perugino  which  decorated  one  of  the  chapels 
on  the  left. 

The  Salita  San  Domenico  led  us  down  into 
one  of  the  main  streets  of  Taggia,  and,  whilst 
walking  along,  my  friend  pointed  out  one 
of  the  little  local  peculiarities  of  the  town. 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina  81 


On  the  doorsteps  of  some  of  the  houses  were 
rows  of  plates  heaped  up  with  fruit  or 
tomatoes,  which  the  inhabitants  had  placed 
there  on  sale  before  setting  out  for  the  fields 
or  the  market.  The  recognised  price  is  a 
halfpenny  a  plateful,  and  as  there  is  no  one 
to  receive  the  money  the  purchaser  places  it 
either  on  or  under  the  plate.  Never  has 
anyone  been  known  to  take  the  fruit  without 
paying  for  it,  nor  has  any  small  boy  of  Taggia 
ever  stolen  the  halfpence — a  fact  which  says 
something  for  the  honesty  of  the  Taggians. 
After  filling  all  the  empty  spaces  in  our 
knapsacks  with  ripe  figs — and  there  were  no 
fewer  than  seventeen  on  one  of  the  plates — 
we  proceeded  on  our  way  and  soon  came  to 
the  Palazzo  Lercari,  with  its  arch  over  the 
end  of  the  street.  This,  and  the  Palazzo 
Spinola,  the  large  quadrilateral  building  at 
the  corner  of  the  main  road,  and  another  of 
the  entrances  into  the  town,  are  the  most 
stately  of  the  many  houses  in  Taggia  which 
were  formerly  occupied  by  the  aristocracy. 
They  are  now  inhabited  by  the  people,  and 
in  some  cases  are  put  to  the  most  humble  of 
uses  ;  yet,  in  spite  of  this  degradation,  they 
still  retain  a  good  deal  of  their  former 
magnificence.     Carved     lintels,  spacious 

6— (2230) 


82    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


entrance-halls,  marble  staircases  and  balus- 
trades give  them  an  air  of  refinement  which 
one  little  expected  to  find  in  a  small  Ligurian 
town.  And  wherever  you  wander  in  Taggia 
you  are  almost  certain  to  meet  with  indica- 
tions of  her  ancient  greatness.  Numerous 
are  the  inscriptions  and  slate  bas-reliefs  and 
effaced  coats  of  arms  which  are  let  into  the 
sides  of  these  old  mansions. 

But  let  us  turn  from  these  aristocratic- 
looking  buildings  to  a  certain  plain  and 
unpretentious  house  in  the  Via  Soleri — the 
first  one  on  your  right  as  you  enter  the 
street.  Despite  its  lack  of  architectural 
beauty,  it  is  not  without  interest  to  the 
visitor,  and  especially  if  he  be  an  Anglo- 
Saxon,  for  it  was  once  the  town  residence  of 
Giovanni  Ruffini,  the  author  of  Doctor  Antonio 
and  many  other  books  which  have  given 
pleasure  to  thousands  of  English  and  Italian 
readers.  A  severe  literary  critic  would, 
perhaps,  condemn  these  works  as  being  "  too 
local  in  their  character,  too  old-fashioned  in 
their  style,"  and  as  smacking  somewhat  of 
the  foreigner,"  but  there  is  no  denying  the 
fact  that  Ruffini  still  has  his  admirers,  and 
that  nearly  every  Anglo-Saxon  who  winters 
at  Bordighera  or  San  Remo  reads  the  story 


A  Street  in  Taggia,  with  the  Palazzo 
Lercari  at  the  end 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina  83 


of  Sir  John  Davenne,  his  daughter  Lucy,  and 
the  good-hearted  Sicihan  doctor.  One  cannot 
afford  (at  least  I  cannot)  to  be  over  critical 
whilst  on  a  holiday.  Besides,  it  should  not 
be  forgotten  that  Ruffini  chose  to  write  his 
novels,  not  in  his  mother  tongue,  but  in 
English,  and  considering  how  correctly,  on 
the  whole,  they  are  written,  the  performance 
is  a  remarkable  one. 

Ruffini  gained  his  knowledge  of  English 
whilst  living  in  exile  in  London.  His  intimate 
acquaintanceship  with  Giuseppe  Mazzini,  with 
whom  he  became  connected  during  the  first 
year  of  his  university  training  in  Genoa,  his 
intense  sympathy  for  the  cause  of  Italian 
emancipation,  and  the  part  which  he  and  his 
brothers  took  in  the  work  of  the  Carbonari, 
made  flight  imperative  in  the  June  of  1833, 
in  the  twenty-sixth  year  of  his  age.  After 
a  series  of  romantic  adventures,  which  are 
faithfully  related  in  Lorenzo  Benoni,  he 
succeeded  in  reaching  Marseilles,  where  he 
found  Mazzini,  and  was  shortly  joined  by  his 
mother  and  younger  brother,  Agostino.  The 
little  party  of  refugees  lived  for  some  time  in 
Switzerland,  but  at  the  beginning  of  1836 
Giovanni  and  Agostino  Rufhni  proceeded  to 
England.    Melancholy  and  difficult  as  their 


84    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


life  in  London  must  have  been  (they  earned 
a  scant  living  by  giving  lessons  in  Italian),  it 
had  the  advantage  of  enabling  Giovanni  to 
learn  the  language  in  which  he  was  after- 
wards to  write  all  his  books.  It  was  there, 
too,  that  he  wrote  the  early  chapters  of 
Lorenzo  Benoni,  but,  unsatisfied  with  the 
result,  he  put  the  manuscript  on  one  side, 
and  did  not  return  to  it  until  many  years 
later  ;  not,  in  fact,  until  Italy  had  gained 
her  independence,  and  he  had  returned, 
burdened  with  honours,  to  Taggia  and  the 
scenes  of  his  childhood.  On  the  completion 
of  the  book,  Agostino  gave  his  brother  a 
letter  of  introduction  to  Thomas  Constable, 
the  Edinburgh  publisher,  who,  on  reading 
the  story,  immediately  decided  to  publish  it. 
It  was  brought  out  in  1853  and  was  very  well 
received.  Two  years  later,  Ruffini  was  again 
in  London,  this  time  for  the  publication  of 
Doctor  Antonio  J  the  main  idea  of  which  had 
come  to  him  one  evening  whilst  sitting 
on  the  Taggia  bridge  admiring  a  particularly 
fine  sunset.  The  success  of  the  new  story 
was  so  great  that,  on  Constable  suggesting 
he  should  follow  it  up  with  something  in  a 
humorous  vein,  Ruffini  began  work  almost 
immediately  on  The  Paragreens,  a  narrative 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina 


85 


of  the  comical  adventures  of  an  Enghsh 
family  at  the  Paris  Exhibition  of  1856.  The 
author,  who  had  lived  many  years  in  Paris 
during  the  period  of  his  exile,  and  mixed 
much  in  English  society  there,  knew  his 
subject  well.  But  the  new  work,  though  it 
went  through  many  editions  when  translated 
into  French,  received  only  a  moderate  welcome 
from  English  readers,  who  did  not  care 
for  the  idea  of  a  foreigner  presuming  to 
ridicule  their  countrymen.  The  illness  and 
death  of  Ruffini's  mother,  who  had  staunchly 
supported  all  her  sons  in  their  brave  fight  for 
the  independence  of  Italy,  greatly  afflicted 
Giovanni  at  this  time,  and  was  doubtless 
the  cause,  apart  from  the  ill-success  of  The 
Paragreens,  of  his  temporary  abandonment 
of  authorship.  He  took  up  his  pen  again, 
however,  some  two  years  later,  and  in  Novem- 
ber, 1859,  published  Lavinia,  once  more 
with  success.  His  next  story,  Vincenzo, 
which  was  published  serially  in  Macmillan's 
Magazine  J  was  issued  in  volume  form  in 
1863.  Then,  after  a  long  silence,  came  A 
Quiet  Nook  in  the  Jura,  and  finally,  during 
1869,  there  appeared  in  Good  Words  his  short 
narrative  entitled  Carlino^  which,  with  other 
stories,  was  pubhshed  in  a  volume  in  1872. 


86     Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Of  these  seven  stories  the  two  which  will 
be  remembered  the  longest  are,  undoubtedly, 
Doctor  Antonio  and  Lorenzo  Benoni,  the 
former  on  account  of  its  references  to  Taggia, 
Ospedaletti,  and  Bordighera,  and  the  latter 
because  of  its  autobiographical  interest. 
Lorenzo  Benoni,  which  that  clear-minded 
critic  and  graceful  writer,  Edmondo  De 
Amicis,  described  as  the  prima  anello 
d'una  catena  d'oro,"  is  indeed  a  valuable 
picture  of  the  persecution  which  Italian 
patriots  underwent  at  the  hands  of  the 
Sardinian  police  during  the  first  half  of  the 
nineteenth  century.  The  concluding  chap- 
ters of  the  romance,  as  Ruffini  himself  de- 
clared in  an  unpublished  letter  to  his  mother 
dated  May  31st,  1855,  are  a  strictly  accurate 
account  of  the  dramatic  incidents  of  his 
flight  to  France  in  1833.  The  two  sure 
friends "  who  assisted  him  to  escape  on 
arriving  at  Ventimiglia,  disguised  as  a  sailor, 
were  Andrea  Biancheri,  an  oil  merchant  of 
that  place,  and  father  of  a  former  president 
of  the  Italian  Chamber  of  Deputies,  and  a 
certain  Lucangelo  Pignone,  a  native  of 
Bordighera,  named  respectively  in  the  story 
Dr.  Palli  and  Ercole.  Biancheri  hid  Ruffini 
in  an  old  tower  situated  in  one  of  his  olive 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina  87 


woods  on  a  hillside  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Ro]  a,  overlooking  Ventimiglia — a  tower  which 
is  still  standing — and  whilst  waiting  there 
for  a  favourable  opportunity  to  slip  through 
the  fingers  of  the  police,  who  were  already 
on  his  track,  his  needs  were  attended  to  by  a 
peasant  named  Giambattista  Viale,  whom 
he  introduces  to  his  readers  as  Pietro. 
Ruffini  never  forgot  the  services  of  these 
staunch  friends,  and  never,  above  all,  those 
of  il  buon  Ercole,"  who,  though  he  sought 
in  after  years  to  arrogate  to  himself  the  entire 
credit  of  having  saved  the  patriot,  was 
financially  assisted  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death.  Lucangelo's  widow,  moreover,  also 
benefited  by  the  generosity  of  the  Ruffini 
family. 

Giovanni  Ruffini  had  a  country  house  just 
outside  Taggia,  and  before  continuing  our 
journey  up  the  valley  we  paid  it  a  visit.  It 
is  a  large  white  building  with  a  shady  loggia 
(under  which  its  former  owner  must  often  have 
written  on  summer  days),  standing  under 
the  lee  of  an  olive-clad  hill  to  the  north  of 
the  town,  and  possessing  a  fine  view  of  the 
curious  serpentine  bridge  which  crosses  the 
broad,  verdure-covered  bed  of  the  Argentina, 
the  little  village  of  Castellaro  shimmering 


88    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


in  the  golden  Hght  "  on  the  summit  of  the 
opposite  hill,  and,  on  still  higher  ground  to 
the  left,  rising  from  amidst  the  olives  and 
flanked  by  tall  cypresses,  the  delicate 
ivory-like  chapel  of  Lampedusa. 

Castellaro  and  Lampedusa  had  also  to  be 
visited  ere  we  turned  our  backs  on  Taggia, 
so  we  crossed  the  bridge,  which  is  provided 
with  a  stone  seat  from  end  to  end,  a  shrine 
with  three  mediaeval  sculptured  figures,  and 
a  memorial  testifying  to  the  miraculous  inter- 
vention of  the  Madonna  during  an  earthquake, 
and  entered  on  the  long  climb  up  the  zig- 
zagging mule-path  which  leads  to  the  top  of 
the  hill.  Whilst  on  the  way  we  got  a  very 
good  idea  as  to  the  position  of  Taggia  in  the 
Argentina  valley  :  a  long,  irregular  line  of 
houses,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  torrent, 
stretching  at  the  base  of  the  hill,  with  the 
ruins  of  an  old  castle  above.  The  view 
became  finer  and  finer  the  higher  we  mounted, 
until,  on  reaching  the  rocky  promontory  on 
which  the  church  of  Castellaro  is  built,  high 
above  the  village,  we  were  rewarded  by  the 
most  perfect  panorama  it  is  possible  to 
imagine.  The  broad,  fertile  valley  from 
Taggia  to  Arma  lay  at  our  feet ;  to  the  left 
was  a  neighbouring  village,  a  clump  of  white, 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina  89 


red-roofed  houses,  with  the  tall,  square  tower 
of  a  church  rising  from  a  surrounding  mass 
of  greenery  ;  to  the  right,  on  a  hill  over- 
looking the  Mediterranean,  was  the  church 
of  the  Madonna  della  Guardia,  surrounded 
by  trees ;  beyond  was  an  immense  blue 
expanse  of  sea,  flecked,  on  that  sunny,  breezy 
day,  with  the  white  crests  of  the  waves  ;  and 
above  it  was  the  paler  blue  of  the  sky,  with 
a  tinge  of  pink  on  the  horizon.  The  view 
on  the  road  from  Castellaro  to  Lampedusa, 
past  a  dozen  or  more  shrines,  is  equally  fine, 
and,  on  reaching  the  sanctuary,  with  its 
twelve  cypresses,  we  could  not  help  expressing 
our  admiration  at  its  marvellously  well- 
chosen  site.  Little  wonder  that  its  choice  is 
attributed  to  the  Virgin  ! 

We  read  in  Doctor  Antonio  that  this 
road  was  the  result  of  immense  labour  on 
the  part  of  the  Castellini,  and  that  they  point 
it  out — as  well  they  may — with  especial  pride. 

They  tell  you  with  infinite  complacency," 
says  Rufhni,  how  every  one  of  the  pebbles 
with  which  it  is  paved  was  brought  from  the 
sea-shore,  those  who  had  mules  using  them 
for  that  purpose,  those  who  had  none  bringing 
up  loads  on  their  backs  ;  how  every  one, 
gentleman   and   peasant,   young   and  old. 


90    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


women  and  boys,  worked  day  and  night, 
with  no  other  inducement  than  the  love  of 
the  Madonna.  The  Madonna  of  Lampedusa 
is  their  creed,  their  occupation,  their  pride, 
their  Carroccio,  their  fixed  idea/' 

The  story  of  the  sanctuary,  and  the  sacred 
picture  it  contains  is  stranger  still  : — 

All  that  relates  to  the  miraculous  image, 
and  the  date  and  mode  of  its  translation  to 
Castellaro,  is  given  at  full  length  in  two 
inscriptions,  one  in  Latin,  the  other  in  bad 
Italian  verses,  which  are  to  be  seen  in  the 
interior  of  the  little  chapel  of  the  sanctuary. 
Andrea  Anfosso,  a  native  of  Castellaro,  being 
the  captain  of  a  privateer,  was  one  day 
attacked  and  defeated  by  the  Turks  and 
carried  to  the  Isle  of  Lampedusa.  Here  he 
succeeded  in  making  his  escape  and  hiding 
himself,  until  the  Turkish  vessel  which  had 
captured  his,  left  the  island.  Anfosso,  being 
a  man  of  expedients,  set  about  building  a 
boat,  and  finding  himself  in  a  great  dilemma 
what  to  do  for  a  sail,  ventured  on  the  bold 
and  original  step  of  taking  from  the  altar  or 
chapel  of  the  island  a  picture  of  the  Madonna 
to  serve  as  one  ;  and  so  well  did  it  answer 
his  purpose  that  he  made  an  unusually 
prosperous  voyage  back  to  his  native  shores, 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina 


91 


and  in  a  fit  of  generosity  offered  his  holy  sail 
to  the  worship  of  his  fellow-townsmen.  The 
wonder  of  the  affair  does  not  stop  here. 
A  place  was  chosen  by  universal  acclamation, 
two  gunshots  in  advance  of  the  present  sanctu- 
ary, and  a  chapel  erected,  in  which  the  gift  was 
deposited  with  all  due  honour.  But  the 
Madonna,  as  it  would  seem,  had  an  insur- 
mountable objection  to  the  spot  selected,  for, 
every  morning  that  God  made,  the  picture 
was  found  at  the  exact  place  where  the  church 
now  stands.  Sentinels  were  posted  at  the 
door  of  the  chapel,  the  entire  village  remained 
on  foot  for  nights,  mounting  guard  at  the 
entrance  ;  no  precaution,  however,  availed. 
In  spite  of  the  strictest  watch,  the  picture, 
now  undeniably  a  miraculous  one,  found 
means  to  make  its  way  to  the  spot  it  preferred. 
At  length  the  Castellini  came  to  understand 
that  it  was  the  Madonna's  express  will  that 
her  headquarters  should  be  shifted  to  where 
her  resemblance  betook  itself  every  night  ; 
and  though  it  had  pleased  her  to  make  choice 
of  the  most  abrupt  and  the  steepest  spot  on 
the  whole  mountain,  just  where  it  was  requisite 
to  raise  arches  in  order  to  lay  a  sure  foundation 
for  her  sanctuary,  the  Castellini  set  themselves 
con  amove  to  the  task  so  clearly  revealed  to 


92    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


them,  and  this  widely-renowned  chapel  was 
completed.    This  took  place  in  1619/' 

Whatever  may  be  the  historical  basis  on 
which  the  story  of  Lampedusa  is  founded,  of 
one  thing  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  the 
Castellini  firmly  believe  it,  and  that  they  are 
an  extremely  religious-minded  people.  The 
anti-clerical  spirit  which  has  invaded  the 
large  cities  of  Italy  and  spread  even  to  such 
small  towns  as  San  Remo,  as  you  cannot  f-ail 
to  note  from  the  phrases — Abbasso  gli 
clericali  !  "  or  Abbasso  i  sperperotori !  " — 
which  are  sometimes  scrawled  or  painted  on 
the  sides  of  churches  and  chapels,  has  not 
yet  penetrated  to  Castellaro  and  similar 
mountain  villages.  Far  from  the  beaten 
track,  only  stray  copies  of  the  journals  which 
preach  revolt  against  the  Church  ever  arrive 
there,  leaving  the  priest  in  the  position  of 
unchallenged  authority  which  he  and  his 
predecessors  have  enjoyed  for  centuries.  He 
is  the  spiritual  and  intellectual  power  to 
which  all  appeal  in  time  of  difficulty  ;  at 
one  and  the  same  time  their  arbiter,  counsellor, 
and  friend.  The  Church  and  the  Presbytery 
are  much  more  the  Parliament-house  of  these 
little  rural  communes  than  the  village  council 
chamber.    In  short,  the  beliefs  and  teachings 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina  93 


of  the  Church  have  almost  as  strong  a  sway 
over  men's  minds  as  they  had  in  the  Middle 
Ages.  The  Madonna  and  her  power  to  per- 
form miracles,  the  efficacy  of  a  prayer  and 
an  offering  to  a  richly-adorned  santo  bambino, 
or  the  medicinal  virtue  of  the  holy  water 
which  bubbles  forth  near  some  noted  shrine 
or  sacred  grotto  still  holds  many  a  mind  in 
bondage.  Whilst  talking  of  this  matter, 
sitting  by  the  roadside,  just  before  we  reached 
the  sanctuary,  there  came  under  our  notice 
a  curious  instance  of  this — one  that  fully 
convinced  me  the  Antiquary  was  right  in 
what  he  said.  A  brown-skinned  Italian  lad 
of  ten  or  twelve  came  along  the  road,  and, 
espying  an  ancient  fig  tree  overhanging  the 
precipitous  outer  edge,  climbed  into  its 
branches  after  the  fruit.  Seeing  them  sway 
under  his  weight,  and  hearing  certain  ominous 
cracks,  I  feared  at  every  moment  that  they 
would  break  and  we  should  see  him  fall. 
So  we  called  him  to  us,  and  whilst  admonishing 
him  for  his  recklessness,  fed  him  with  the 
luscious  figs  of  Taggia.  Were  you  not 
frightened,"  I  asked,  after  he  had  admitted 
they  were  better  than  those  which  grew  by 
the  wayside,  to  trust  yourself  to  the  branches 
of  so  old  a  tree  ?  "       Nossignore,"  he  replied, 


94    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


with  a  sunny  smile,  for  there  was  not  the 
sHghtest  danger.  The  tree  may  be  old,  but 
it  grows  within  the  bounds  of  the  Sanctuary 
of  Lampedusa  and  therefore  belongs  to  the 
Madonna.  And  she  would  not  have  seen  me 
fall  into  the  valley." 

After  leaving  Taggia  the  Argentina  valley 
gradually  changes  in  its  character.  The  higher 
one  mounts  the  torrent  the  wilder  and  more 
picturesque  the  landscape  becomes,  making 
it  difficult  to  find  its  equal  in  grandeur.  The 
bed  of  the  stream,  narrow  at  times,  broad  at 
others,  is  strewn  with  blocks  of  stone  as  large, 
in  some  cases,  as  a  cottage,  and  amidst  these 
the  water,  when  it  is  not  collecting  in  deep, 
green,  refreshing-looking  pools,  leaps  and 
rushes  with  impetuous  fury.  The  road  follows 
the  sinuosities  of  the  torrent,  with  high  hills 
on  either  hand,  and  as  you  proceed  on  your 
way  through  the  village  of  Badalucco,  on 
the  right  bank,  and  within  the  shadow  of 
Montalto  Ligure,  perched  three  hundred  feet 
above  your  head  on  the  top  of  an  olive-clad 
hill  at  the  confluence  of  the  Carpasina  torrent, 
you  meet  with  all  those  things  that  give  such 
a  subtle  charm  to  Italian  landscape  :  quaint 
camel-back  bridges  with  shrines  built  into 
the  parapets,  abandoned  mills,  asses  and 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina  95 


mules  with  loads  of  fuel  or  fodder,  and 
accompanied  by  sturdy  peasant  women  busily 
knitting  as  they  walk  along,  and  parties  of 
carbonari  taking  their  cartloads  of  sacks  of 
charcoal  down  to  the  coast.  The  scene  is 
ever  changing  as  you  push  forward  towards 
Molini  and  Triora.  The  way  is  now  bordered 
by  centenial  chestnuts,  and  the  valley,  with 
its  lichen-covered  rocks,  has  become  still 
narrower. 

The  exquisite  picturesqueness  of  one's 
surroundings — above  all,  the  colour  and 
lighting  of  the  landscape — prompts  the 
query  :  How  is  it  that  artists  do  not  seek 
inspiration  on  the  banks  of  the  Argentina  ? 
A  few,  it  is  true,  have  from  time  to  time  found 
their  way  to  Triora.  But  why  is  there  not 
a  colony  of  them  there,  as  in  many  a  much 
less  picturesque  place  in  England  and  in 
France  ?  Believe  me,  there  is  the  material 
for  thousands  of  the  most  varied  pictures 
within  but  a  few  miles  of  Molini  and  its 
mountain  sister  Triora.  Marvellous  is  the 
play  of  light  in  the  valleys  in  the  early  morn- 
ing or  late  evening,  whilst  one  is  actually 
embarrassed  in  one's  choice  amongst  the 
numerous  ruined  bridges  and  mills  and 
cypress-surrounded  churches. 


96    Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Triora  stands  at  an  altitude  of  two  thousand 
five  hundred  feet  on  the  southern  slope  of 
Monte  Fronte,  and  is  one  of  the  most  strongly 
situated  hill  towns  that  I  have  seen  in 
Liguria. 

No  wonder  that  in  1625,  whilst  all  the  dis- 
tricts along  the  coast  fell  into  the  power  of 
the  Franco-Savoyard  troops,  it  alone  held 
out  on  behalf  of  the  Republic  of  Genoa  !  It 
is  not  surprising,  too,  that  it  withstood  the 
earthquake  of  1887  much  better  than  Bajardo 
and  Bussana  and  Castellaro.  For  it  is  so 
solidly  built  into  the  mountain  and  bound 
together  by  arches  that  only  if  Monte  Fronte 
itself  were  destroyed  can  we  imagine  the 
possibility  of  its  destruction.  We  found  it 
a  very  fascinating  place  for  a  short  sojourn, 
chiefly  on  account  of  the  unparalleled  views 
which  can  be  obtained  when  walking  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  town.  It  is  encompassed  on 
two  sides  by  high  hills,  which  furnish  a 
number  of  interesting  excursions  for  the 
alpinist ;  and  in  the  course  of  a  short  walk 
you  can  study,  as  though  on  a  huge  map 
stretched  at  your  feet,  a  good  deal  of  the 
geography  of  the  district,  including  Molini, 
of  which  you  have  a  veritable  bird's-eye 
view.    But    travellers    who  contemplate 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Argentina  97 


coming  so  far  afield  as  Triora  should  be 
warned  that  they  will  find  no  Grand  Hotel 
de  Paris  there.  Personally,  we  were  glad  of 
it,  for,  once  this  hill-town  has  become  a 
fashionable  mountain  resort,  it  will  inevitably 
lose  something  of  its  rustic  charm.  However, 
true  wayfarers  need  never  sigh  for  the 
smart,  up-to-date  hostelry.  As  long  as 
there  is  a  clean  bed,  a  plentiful  board, 
and  a  hearty  welcome — and  all  these  are 
to  be  had  at  the  primitive  inn  of  Triora — 
they  need  never  regret  their  journey  up 
the  Argentina  valley. 


Triora 


7— (2230) 


Camel-back  bridge  at  Pieve  di  Teco 

CHAPTER  V 

THE  IMPERO  AND  THE  ARROSCIA 

Continuing  along  the  coast — across  the  Ponte 
della  Fiumara  di  Taggia — as  the  Argentina  is 
named  at  its  lower  reaches — through  vine- 
yards and  olive  groves,  and  past  the  villages 
of  Riva  Ligure,  San  Stefano  al  Mare,  and  San 
Lorenzo  al  Mare,  all  three  washed  by  the  sea 
and  the  first  two  with  ancient  defences,  we 
came  to  Porto  Maurizio  and  Oneglia. 

Porto  Maurizio,  picturesquely  situated  on 
an  eminence  which  projects  into  the  sea,  and 
surrounded  by  fine  houses  and  gardens,  is  an 
ancient  port  and  commercial  town  which  of 
recent  years  has  developed  into  a  winter 

98 


The  Impero  and  the  Arroscia  99 


resort.  It  existed  as  early  as  the  days  of 
Augustus  Caesar,  who  erected  a  tower,  with 
an  inscription,  at  one  of  its  highest  points, 
to  commemorate  his  victory  over  the  Liguri- 
ans  of  the  mountains,  is  mentioned  in  Anto- 
nino's  ancient  itinerary,  as  follows  :  Occurrit 
oppidum  Portus  Maurici  "  ;  and  is  named  in 
the  sixth  book  of  Strabo's  history  among 
the  ports  of  Liguria.  After  being  in  the 
possession  of  the  Counts  of  Ventimiglia  and 
the  Marquesses  of  Clavesana,  it  passed,  about 
the  middle  of  the  twelfth  century,  under  the 
dominion  of  Genoa,  with  whose  fortunes  it 
was  for  long  closely  identified.  Reading  the 
chronicles  of  Giustiniani,  Caffero,  and  others, 
we  find  that  in  1166  a  galley  of  the  Commune 
of  Porto  Maurizio  joined  six  galleys  of  the 
Republic  of  Genoa  and  pursued  the  Pisans, 
who  were  cruising  in  the  seas  of  Provence ; 
that  in  1295,  when  the  Genoese  sent  a  fleet 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  galleys  against 
the  Venetians,  six  hundred  sailors,  trained 
to  arms  and  all  of  them  from  Porto  Maurizio, 
formed  part  of  the  crew  ;  and  that  as  late  as 
1786  the  Parliament  of  Porto  Maurizio  raised 
five  hundred  soldiers  at  its  own  expense  to 
reinforce  the  troops  sent  by  the  Republic 
against  the  King  of  Sardinia.    Deriving  great 


100  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


wealth,  like  her  neighbour  Oneglia,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  bay,  from  the  trade  in 
olive  oil,  Porto  Maurizio  was  ever  the  com- 
mercial rival  of  her  sister  seaport,  and  as  the 
two  were  rarely  of  one  and  the  same  mind 
politically,  their  rivalry,  which  more  than 
once  led  to  blows,  was  all  the  more  intense. 
And  I  suspect  that  even  to-day  they  look  at 
each  other  somewhat  jealously. 

Onegha,  which  stands  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Impero  torrent,  was  founded  in  the  tenth 
century,  after  the  destruction  by  the  Saracens 
of  Frassineto  of  a  more  ancient  town,  standing 
on  the  site  of  the  inland  village  of  Cast  el - 
vecchio.  It  possesses  a  port  of  the  second 
class,  is  deeply  interested  in  the  exportation 
of  olive  oil  and  in  the  importation  of  the 
woollen  rags  with  which  the  olive  trees  are 
manured,  ^  and,  industrially  and  commercially, 
is  a  place  of  considerable  importance.  But 
it  is  a  town  that  holds  forth  hardly  any  of 
those  attractions  which  are  usually  sought 
by  the  traveller.  To  speak  frankly,  my  note- 
book is  not  a  testimonial  either  to  the  interest 
of  its  buildings  or  to  the  cleanliness  of  its 

1  "  The  cultivation  of  the  ohve  is  expensive,  the  tree 
needing,  at  least  every  fourth  year,  plenty  of  a  particular 
and  very  dear  manure,  consisting  of  woollen  rags  and  the 
horns  and  hoofs  of  cattle." — Doctor  Antonio. 


The  Impero  and  the  Arroscia  101 


inhabitants.  It  recalls  the  repellent  peni- 
tentiary near  the  railway  station — an  immense 
quadrilateral  building  surrounded  by  a  high 
wall,  at  the  top  of  which,  provided  on  either 
side  with  railings  and  with  here  and  there 
a  sentry  box,  armed  guards  are  eternally 
promenading — the  dusty,  ill-kept  streets 
leading  down  to  the  harbour,  and,  bitterest 
memory  of  all,  our  hurried  departure,  after 
a  sleepless  night,  from  an  alhergo  whose  clean- 
liness we  had  found  was  treacherously  super- 
ficial. There  is  a  note,  too,  referring  to  the 
dull  and  unintellectual  side  of  the  life  of 
Oneglia.  So  engrossed  is  she  in  making 
money  out  of  oil  that  she  has  no  time  to 
think  of  her  mental  development.  She  does 
not  possess  even  a  communal  library.  Nor 
did  an  official  at  the  Municipio,  when  I 
asked  to  be  directed  to  the  Biblioteca  Com- 
munale,  ever  seem  to  have  heard  of  such  a 
thing  as  a  library.  He  looked  at  me  in 
wonder,  and  then  demanded  if  I  were  not 
looking  for  the  office  where  mortgages  were 
registered.  Vuol  dire,  forse,"  he  said,  with 
the  most  serious  of  faces,  ipoteca,  non 
biblioteca." 

Yet  Oneglia — and  it  was  partly  for  this 
reason  that  we  made  it  another    of  our 


102  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


headquarters — was  the  birthplace  of  many 
distinguished  men  of  letters.  These  include 
Nicolo  Gazzelli,  a  Latin  poet  and 
learned  jurisconsult ;  Carlo  Sebastiano 
Berardi,  an  ecclesiastical  writer ;  Maria 
Pellegrina  Amoretti,  of  the  University  of 
Pavia  ;  Father  Antonio  Maria  Amoretti,  a 
celebrated  bibliographer,  whose  paternal 
grandfather,  the  architect  Gaetano  Amoretti, 
drew  up  the  plans  for  the  erection,  in  1759, 
of  the  collegiate  church  of  St.  John  the 
Baptist ;  and,  finally,  Edmondo  De  Amicis, 
the  author  of  //  Cuore^  and  many  other  books 
which  are  on  the  shelves  of  every  lover  of 
modern  Italian  literature. 

We  made  inquiries  as  to  the  whereabouts 
of  the  house  in  which  De  Amicis  was  born  in 
1846,  and  after  some  difficulty  succeeded  in 
finding  it.  It  is  a  large,  bare  building,  near 
the  harbour,  facing  the  piazza^  on  one  side  of 
which  the  Palazzo  di  Justicia  stands,  and  the 
author,  who  was  the  son  of  a  government 
official  (connected  with  the  custom-house 
when  at  Oneglia,  we  were  told,  but  later,  as 
De  Amicis  has  recorded  in  his  recollections, 
a  banchieri  regio  del  sail  e  tahacchi  in  a  small 
Piedmontese  town),  first  saw  the  hght  in  an 
apartment  on   the  second  floor.    The  De 


The  Impero  and  the  Arroscia  103 


Amicis  family  left  Oneglia  when  Edmondo 
was  in  his  early  childhood,  but  he  ever 
retained  a  sweet  and  deep  affection  "  for 
his  native  place,  where  he  learnt  to  chatter 
in  the  Genoese  dialect  and  played  with  his 
brother  on  the  sands.  My  earliest  recol- 
lection/' he  writes  in  Ricordi  d'  infanzia,  is 
that  of  a  day  on  which  I  played  on  a  heap  of 
sand  with  my  little  brother,  who  was  my 
senior  by  two  years,  and  who  died  when  I 
was  four,  leaving  me  but  a  vague  reminiscence 
of  his  face.  How  it  is  that  I  remember  him 
on  that  occasion,  and  have  not  the  slightest 
recollection  of  what  happened  at  our  home 
on  the  occasion  of  his  death,  which  ought  to 
have  left  a  deep  impression,  is  one  of  those 
many  mysteries  of  memory  which  are  an 
eternal  puzzle  to  our  minds.  And  what  is 
no  less  mysterious  to  me  is  the  absolute 
certainty  which  I  have  ever  had  that  that 
mite  with  whom  I  was  playing  that  day  was 
my  brother,  although  I  had  never  had  any 
proof  of  the  fact.  It  appears  to  me  that  my 
existence  began  at  that  moment.' '  We  were 
surprised  to  find  that  no  tablet  had  been 
placed  on  the  house  to  Edmondo  De  Amicis* 
memory,  and  that  the  municipality  had  failed 
to  name  the  square  after  him.    But  evidently 


104  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Oneglia  sets  little  store  on  men  of  literary 
genius. 

We  did  not  think,  either,  that  Oneglia  had 
done  full  justice  to  the  memory  of  another 
of  her  sons,  the  famous  Andrea  Doria,  who 
makes  such  a  valiant  figure  in  the  history  of 
Genoa.  It  is  true  that  in  his  case  the  house 
in  which  he  was  born  on  November  30th, 
1466,  bears  a  marble  plaque  and  an  adequate 
inscription,  but  it  was  unkind  to  give  his 
glorious  name  to  an  adjoining  square  of 
secondary  importance  and  a  street  which  is 
one  of  the  meanest  in  the  whole  town. 

It  is  largely  for  Andrea's  sake,  and  the 
memories  which  his  family  name  recalls, 
that  the  traveller  along  the  shore  of  the 
Ligurian  Sea  pauses  awhile  at  Oneglia. 
Finding  a  lack  of  picturesqueness,  he  is  not 
deeply  grieved ;  he  quickly  fills  the  void 
by  using  his  imagination,  and  letting  his 
thoughts  dwell  on  the  cloudy  origin  of  the 
Dorias,  and  on  the  manner  in  which  they 
built  up  the  fortune  of  their  great  house. 
They  are  said  to  have  descended  from  a 
certain  Ardoino,  of  the  family  of  the  Counts 
of  Narbonne,  who  married  a  young  Genoese 
named  Oria,  and  had  four  sons,  commonly 
known  as  the     figliuoli  di  Oria,"  and  one  of 


The  Impero  and  the  Arroscia  105 


whom  was  that  Ansaldo  who  was  Consul  of 
Genoa  in  1134.  One  of  the  great  authorities 
in  matters  concerning  the  ItaUan  nobility  has 
proved,  however,  that  Ansaldo  himself  was 
the  husband  of  an  Oria,  so  the  question  is 
still  full  of  doubt.  One  thing  we  know  for 
certain  :  that  among  the  various  branches  of 
the  family  two  were  especially  noteworthy 
and  prolific  in  illustrious  men  :  those  who 
descended  from  Oberto,  the  son  of  Pietro, 
the  first  Lord  of  Loano  in  1262,  and  those 
who  formed  the  dynasty  of  the  Dorias  of 
OnegHa. 

The  founders  of  the  Oneglia  branch  were 
Nicolo  and  Federico,  the  sons  of  Babilano, 
and  they  acquired  their  rights  by  purchase 
from  the  Bishop  of  Albenga  in  1276.  Their 
father  was  a  man  of  considerable  note.  He 
was  an  ambassador  at  the  court  of  Charles, 
King  of  Naples,  in  1255,  and  served  in  the 
same  capacity  at  the  Papal  court  in  1276  ; 
was  a  patron  of  Church  lands  in  Sardinia,  and 
was  buried,  with  a  noble  epitaph  on  his  tomb, 
in  the  family  vault  at  San  Fruttuoso,  near 
Portofino.  No  sooner  had  the  sale  to  his 
sons  been  concluded  than  it  was  contested  by 
the  inhabitants  of  Oneglia,  on  the  ground 
that  neither  the  bishop  nor  his  predecessors 


106  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


had  ever  exercised  the  least  right  of  lordship 
over  Oneglia.  But  they  seem  to  have  settled 
the  matter  pacifically  and  to  have  received 
Nicolo  and  Federico  Doria  in  a  friendly 
manner,  though  only  as  simple  protectors,  as 
the  Bishops  of  Albenga  had  ever  been. 
Subsequent  events  showed  that  the  Oneglians 
had  been  right  in  suspecting  that  the  strangers 
wished  to  trespass  on  their  communal  rights. 
Both  the  Dorias  had  a  numerous  progeniture, 
and  during  the  struggle  between  the  Guelfs 
and  the  Ghibellines,  in  which  Oneglia,  Porto 
Maurizio,  and  other  towns  along  the  coast 
were  inevitably  involved,  the  two  branches 
of  the  family  gradually  acquired  a  firm  hold 
over  the  lands  of  the  district.  By  the  end 
of  the  fourteenth  century  they  had  assumed 
the  title  of  Lords  of  Oneglia,  and  claimed  the 
feudal  right  of  using  the  people  of  the  district 
to  defend  their  private  interests.  There  is 
no  denying  the  fact  that  at  this  period  of  their 
history  the  Dorias  grossly  abused  their  power. 
Frequent  were  the  disputes  between  the  heads 
of  the  two  branches  and  the  people,  and  these 
did  not  wholly  cease  until,  at  the  close  of  the 
fifteenth  century,  the  interests  of  the  Dorias 
of  Oneglia  became  centred  in  Gian  Domenico 
Doria,  the  descendant  of  another  branch  and 


The  Impero  and  the  Arroscia  107 


a  man  of  great  merit,  who  had  purchased  his 
lands  and  rights  from  the  then  few  remaining 
descendants  of  Nicolo  and  Federico. 

One  of  the  parties  in  this  transaction  was 
Andrea  Doria.  He  was  the  youngest  of  the 
four  sons  of  Ceva  and  Caracosa  Doria,  and, 
being  the  smallest,  he  was  known  to  members 
of  the  family  as  Andrietta.  Having  lost  his 
father  in  early  childhood,  "  Little  Andrea's 
education  was  left  entirely  in  the  hands  of 
his  mother,  who,  it  would  seem,  had  some 
difficulty  in  repressing  his  buoyant  disposi- 
tion. His  generous  and  vivacious  nature," 
says  one  of  his  biographers,  Giuseppe  Maria 
Pira,  soon  showed  that  he  was  destined  to 
become  a  soldier.  Numerous  signs  indicated 
the  inclination  of  his  mind.  The  word 
'  glory  '  was  often  on  his  lips,  and  whenever 
he  heard  the  narration  of  some  striking  fact 
or  event  he  jumped  with  joy.  A  Genoese 
galley  having  put  into  the  harbour  of  Oneglia, 
he  went  on  board,  child  though  he  was,  and 
displayed  there  such  delight  that,  had  his 
widowed  mother  not  gently  forced  him  to 
return  home,  he  would  have  remained  with 
the  sailors  throughout  the  night.*'  He  carried 
out  his  studies,  at  any  rate  until  his  fifteenth 
year,  at  Porto  Maurizio,  at  the  house  of  Luca 


108  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Ballario,  an  old  friend  of  his  father,  but 
presumably — ever  itching  as  he  was  to  instruct 
himself  in  the  art  of  war — they  were  never 
of  a  nature  wholly  to  satisfy  him,  for  on 
the  death  of  his  mother  we  find  him  quickly 
making  up  his  mind  as  to  the  profession  he 
would  follow.  In  conjunction  with  his  only 
remaining  brother,  Davide,  he  sold  his  patri- 
mony to  Gian  Domenico,  and  in  the  same 
year,  1488,  set  out  for  Rome  to  enter  the 
service  of  Innocent  III  as  a  man  of  arms. 
His  next  master  was  the  King  of  Naples. 
Then,  with  the  ease  of  the  born  soldier  of 
fortune,  he  passed  under  the  flag  of  the 
Duke  of  Urbino.  But  love  of  his  native 
province  drew  him  back,  in  the  end,  to 
Liguria.  He  was  given  command  of  the 
galleys  of  Genoa,  and  entered  the  service  of 
Francis  I,  who  made  him  an  admiral.  Con- 
sidering, however,  that  the  work  he  had  done 
for  France  was  ill-paid,  he  once  more  changed 
his  master.  Francis  was  replaced  by  the 
Emperor  Charles  V.  He  captured  many 
French  men-of-war,  and,  fired  with  a  desire 
to  liberate  his  countrymen  from  the  foreigner, 
called  upon  the  people,  in  September,  1528, 
to  take  up  arms.  On  the  following  day  the 
Senate  of  Genoa  declared  the  rule  of  France 


The  Impero  and  the  Arroscia  109 


at  an  end,  hailed  Andrea  Doria  as  the  "  Father 
of  the  Country/'  and  to  the  cry  of  ''St. 
George  and  Liberty/'  the  French  garrison 
was  driven  out.  By  the  end  of  the  year 
Liguria  was  freed  from  the  French  yoke. 
Andrea  Doria' s  next  exploit  was  his  expedi- 
tion against  the  Turks.  Carrying  terror  into 
Grecian  waters,  he  took  Patras  and  Corone 
from  the  Turks  in  1532,  and  defeated  them 
in  a  great  naval  engagement.  Created  Prince 
of  Melfi,  in  the  Kingdom  of  Naples,  and  a 
Knight  of  the  Golden  Fleece,  he  continued 
to  serve  Charles  V  during  his  Tunisian, 
Algerian,  Italian,  and  Provengal  expeditions, 
and  it  is  said  that  not  a  few  of  his  former 
townsmen  of  Oneglia  formed  part  of  the 
crew  of  his  squadron.  Ambitious  though  he 
was,  Andrea,  who  knew  as  well  as  anyone 
the  dangers  which  menace  the  heads  of  States, 
was  a  man  of  great  prudence.  So  when 
Genoa,  as  a  mark  of  its  gratitude,  offered  him 
the  sovereignty  of  the  city,  he  refused  it. 
He  wisely  judged  that  it  was  better  to  be  its 
protector  and  to  establish  the  Republic  on 
that  solid  basis  which  it  retained  even  until 
as  late  as  1796.  After  a  life  crowded  with 
brave  deeds  and  fine  actions,  he  retired  to 
a  splendid  palace  which  he  had  had  built  in 


110  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Genoa,  where  he  died,  without  issue,  on 
November  25th,  1560,  at  the  age  of  ninety-four. 

Such  is  a  brief  outUne  of  the  Hfe  of  the 
Doria  who  reflects  most  glory  on  OnegHa. 
The  reign  of  the  second  dynasty  of  the 
Dorias  lasted  less  than  a  century,  and  does 
not  call  for  special  mention.  They  sold  their 
rights,  in  1576,  to  Emanuele  Filiberto,  Duke 
of  Savoy,  and  the  town,  with  the  districts  of 
Prela  and  Maro,  was  then  made  into  a 
principality. 

As  it  was  our  plan  to  make  Oneglia  the 
starting-point  of  a  journey  up  the  Impero 
valley,  to  descend  from  the  Colla  di  San 
Bartolomeo  to  Pieve  di  Teco,  and  then  to 
return  to  the  coast  by  way  of  the  Arroscia 
torrent,  we  made  a  short  excursion  to  Diano 
Marina  and  Diano  Castello  before  leaving  the 
birthplace  of  Andrea  Doria. 

Diano — one  of  those  places  which  attract 
through  the  sweetness  of  their  names — is  so 
called  because  the  goddess  Diana  was  wor- 
shipped there  by  the  pagan  inhabitants  of 
Liguria.  The  neighbouring  village  of  Cervo, 
sunning  itself  on  a  hillside  above  the  sea,  also 
indicates  that  the  same  goddess  had  a  temple 
there  ;  for  did  she  not  change  Atteone,  the 
son  of  Aristius,  into  a  stag  {cervo),  and  is  she 


The  Impero  and  the  Arroscia  111 


not  frequently  represented  in  company  with 
that  animal  ?  We  found  Diano  to  be  a  very 
pleasant  little  seaside  town,  with  good,  well- 
paved  streets,  shady  avenues  planted  with 
feathery-leaved  pepper  trees,  and  modern 
houses.  After  the  1887  earthquake,  which 
wrecked  most  of  the  buildings,  and  killed  one 
hundred  and  ninety-one  inhabitants,  it  was 
almost  entirely  rebuilt.  The  municipality 
has  made  a  brave  attempt  to  make  it  a 
resort  for  visitors,  and  it  can  certainly  be 
recommended  to  families  who  seek  the  bene- 
fits of  the  Riviera  at  a  small  cost.  There  is 
a  public  garden,  neatly  set  out  with  firs  and 
palms,  in  front  of  the  well-protected  bay,  a 
band-stand,  and  a  good  bathing  establishment. 

Half-an-hour's  walk  inland  brings  you  to 
Diano  Castello,  a  little  town  on  high  ground 
with  an  ancient  encircling  wall  and  towers. 
It  was  formerly  part  of  the  dominion  of  the 
Marquis  of  Clavesana,  and  was  sold  to  the 
RepubHc  of  Genoa  in  1228.  Apart  from  its 
former  fortifications,  there  is  proof  of  its 
antiquity  in  an  old  painting,  representing 
ships  and  a  fortified  seaport,  on  the  wall  of  the 
town  hall,  near  the  church  square.  On  this 
httle  square  is  a  quaint  three-sided  shelter, 
with  slate  seats,  from  which  you  can  get  a 


112  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


good  view  of  the  open  valley,  Diano  Marina, 
and  the  sea  beyond.  Diano  Castello  is,  by 
the  by,  noted  for  its  fine  outlook,  and  where- 
ever  a  view  is  to  be  obtained  the  thoughtful 
inhabitants  have  built  a  seat  alongside  their 
ancient  enceinte.  Some  of  the  houses  of  the 
town  have  the  air  of  dating  very  far  back  in 
history,  a  peep  now  and  then  through  doors 
that  had  been  left  ajar  revealing  broad  stair- 
cases with  marble  columns  and  traces  of 
sculpture.  In  one  of  these  large  entrance 
halls  we  obtained  a  glimpse  of  some  fine  old 
furniture  and,  hanging  on  the  walls,  a  number 
of  old  pictures  in  carved  wooden  frames ; 
and  not  until  my  friend  the  Antiquary  had 
discovered  that  the  house  was  a  casa  privata 
was  it  possible  to  drag  him  away. 

Pieve  di  Teco  lies  in  a  hollow  in  the  moun- 
tains, in  the  Arroscia  valley,  some  twenty 
miles  from  Oneglia,  and  at  an  altitude  of 
two  hundred  and  forty-five  metres.  To  get 
there  the  road  passes  over  much  higher  ground, 
as  high,  indeed,  as  621  metres  at  the  Colla 
di  San  Bartolomeo,  where  it  begins  to  descend 
with  great  abruptness  through  plantations  of 
chestnut  trees  and  olives.  Up  to  this  point 
the  views  of  the  Impero  valley,  with  the  vil- 
lages and  hamlets  scattered  on  the  hillsides, 


The  Impero  and  the  Arroscia  113 


are,  therefore,  very  extensive,  and  give  an 
excellent  idea  of  the  vegetation  on  either 
side  of  the  torrent. 

Soon  after  leaving  Oneglia  you  discover 
the  reason  why  the  Impero  has  been  called 
the  Golden  Valley.  The  waters  of  the  stream 
supply  the  motive-force  for  the  olive  mills 
which  stand  upon  its  banks,  and  the  terraced 
hillsides  are  planted  with  innumerable  olive 
trees  of  great  commercial  value.  Owing  to 
its  fine  position,  the  quality  of  its  earth,  and 
the  industry  of  its  inhabitants,  there  is, 
perhaps,  no  place  in  the  whole  of  Europe 
which  produces  such  exquisite  oil  as  the 
Oneglia  district.  Two  centuries  ago  the 
annual  output  was  some  30,000  barrels  :  now 
it  is  nearly  trebled  ;  and  though  this  increase 
may  not  seem  to  be  very  great,  the  progress 
made  is,  in  reality,  considerable,  considering 
the  enormous  amount  of  work  that  has  been 
required  to  acclimatise  the  olive  in  a  district 
which  was  naturally  sterile.  The  terraced 
olive  groves  of  the  Impero  valley  represent 
the  work  of  no  fewer  than  seven  centuries. 
Some  think  that  the  olive  was  brought  to 
Liguria  from  Palestine  by  the  Crusaders,  but 
it  was,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  gift  of  the 
Benedictines  who  established  themselves  in 

8 — (2230) 


114  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


this  part  of  Italy  after  the  invasion  of 
Frassineto  by  the  Saracens. 

On  the  way  to  Pieve  di  Teco,  and  when 
we  had  covered  less  than  a  third  of  our 
journey,  we  passed  through  Pontedassio  and 
Chieusavecchia,  villages  which  were  the 
birthplaces  of  two  noteworthy  men,  both  of 
them  poets.  Pontedassio's  man  of  letters  was 
Paolo  Ramoino,  and  he  wrote  his  verses  in 
Latin,  in  the  fifteenth  century ;  Chieusa- 
vecchia (which  shows  by  its  name  that  it 
was  once  a  fortified  place)  saw  the  birth  of 
Pellegrino  in  the  seventeenth  century,  and 
he  also  wrote  most  of  his  poems  in  the  Latin 
tongue.  Of  the  two,  Pellegrino  is  best  worth 
reading  by  the  visitor  to  the  Golden  Valley, 
since  he  sang  in  De  Classe  Gallica  Vallis 
Unelice  triumphus  (1692) — a  poem  of  926 
lines  in  heroic  verse — of  the  bravery  of  his 
fellow-countrymen,  and  the  beauties  of  his 
native  district.  He  ingeniously  represents  the 
Impero  valley  as  the  abode  of  nymphs  and 
goddesses,  a  place  dear  to  Flora  and  Diana, 
but  especially  to  Minerva,  whom  he  pictures 
as  coming  there,  after  her  victory  over 
Neptune,  to  plant  the  olive.  The  style  in 
which  he  wrote  is  Virgilian,  and  his  modes  of 
expression  sometimes  decidedly  original.  He 


The  Impero  and  the  Arroscia  115 


was  one  of  the  first  to  describe  the  terrible 
effects  of  a  bursting  shell,  an  engine  of  warfare 
which  was  invented  no  great  time  before  his 
day.  In  short,  Pellegrino,  who  was  trained 
for  the  priesthood,  but  never  ordained,  was 
a  genuine  poet. 

Pieve  di  Teco,  a  long,  straggling  town  with 
gray  roofs,  stands  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Arroscia.  It  derives  part  of  its  curious  name 
from  the  ancient  castle  of  Teico,  which  stood 
there  until  about  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth 
century.  This  name,  Teico,  is  a  valuable 
indication  as  to  the  religion  of  the  ancient 
Ligurians,  for,  as  shown  by  an  inscription  on 
an  urn  which  was  discovered  in  the  district 
in  1718,  it  is  derived  from  Teutates,  the  name 
of  the  chief  Deity  of  the  Celtic  races.  Teutates 
was  Mercury,  to  whom  the  ancient  Gauls,  and 
probably  his  worshippers  in  the  Arroscia 
valley,  offered  human  sacrifices. 

A  long,  narrow  street  with  picturesque 
arcades  on  either  side  forms  the  central 
artery  of  the  town,  and  under  these,  from 
morning  until  night,  sit  the  many  shoemakers 
who  give  Pieve  di  Teco  its  distinguishing 
mark.  There  are  over  sixty  masters,  em- 
ploying some  two  hundred  workmen,  and 
they  are  kept  busy  at  their  lasts,  thanks 


116  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


in  a  great  measure  to  government  orders 
for  military  boots  and  knapsacks.  Pieve 
di  Teco,  being  on  the  direct  road  to  the 
frontier,  it  is  the  seat  of  a  small  garrison 
of  soldiers,  who  occupy  an  ancient  convent 
with  towers  on  the  northern  outskirts  of 
the  town.  Another  old  convent,  that  in 
the  centre  of  Pieve,  near  the  Municipio, 
is  now  used  as  a  storehouse  for  the  handi- 
work of  the  shoemakers  of  the  town. 
Tailoresses,  busily  working  their  sewing- 
machines,  are  in  close  proximity  to  these 
Crispins,  and  as  the  bakers,  hosiers,  mercers, 
and  other  tradespeople  set  out  their  stalls 
under  the  arches,  great  is  the  commercial 
activity  of  the  town  throughout  the  day. 
These  groups  of  workers  are  often  most 
picturesque.  The  setting  of  the  picture,  too, 
is  such  as  will  delight  those  who  are  in  search 
of  the  things  on  which  Time  has  placed  his 
beautifying  finger.  Old  religious  paintings — 
as  the  one  of  Christ  and  Mary  above  the 
Caffe  Patrio,  under  the  arcades,  a  cafe  which 
also  possesses  an  ancient  lantern  and  bracket, 
the  predecessors  of  the  modern  electric  lamp, 
beneath  the  picture — are  to  be  seen  here  and 
there  on  the  sides  of  the  houses  ;  shrines  and 
carved    doorways    are    fairly    numerous ; 


The  Impero  and  the  Arroscia  117 


pleasant  little  squares  are  encountered  with 
that  unexpectedness  which  lends  them  part 
of  their  charm  ;  and  one's  rambles  among 
the  narrower  streets,  such  as  the  Via  Madonna 
della  Ripa,  which  leads  to  a  gray  old  church 
with  a  pointed  spire,  dedicated  to  the  Madonna 
of  that  name,  often  bring  a  rich  reward  in 
the  form  of  architectural  discoveries/'  The 
ecclesiastical  buildings  of  Pieve  di  Teco,  which 
was  formerly  the  home  of  several  orders  of 
monks,  were  once  very  numerous.  The  finest 
of  those  which  remain  is  the  large,  domed 
parish  church,  which  was  built  in  accordance 
with  the  plans  of  the  eighteenth  century 
Lombardian  architect  Gaetano  Cantoni.  The 
interior,  with  its  painted  columns,  is  very 
harmonious  in  its  colouring,  and  it  contains 
a  number  of  good  pictures  by  Giulio  Benso, 
Cambiaso,  and  Piola  Domenico.  On  the  slope 
of  the  hill  near  the  hospital  is  a  little  Capucine 
chapel  which  should  also  be  visited  on  account 
of  its  excellent  pictures  and  reposeful 
quietness. 

During  nearly  the  whole  of  the  eighteen 
miles  journey  back  to  the  sea  we  travelled 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Arroscia,  which — at 
times  far  beneath  the  road — winds  along  a 
narrow,  rocky  bed,  through  a  landscape  ever 


118  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


varying  in  beauty,  and  past  many  a  village 
noted  either  for  its  position,  its  buildings,  or 
the  part  it  has  played  in  history.  There  is 
Muzio,  on  whose  bridge,  in  1672,  a  bloody 
fray  between  the  troops  of  the  Republic  of 
Genoa  and  those  of  the  Duke  of  Savoy  took 
place,  ending  in  the  defeat  of  the  former,  and 
the  death  of  several  noble  Piedmontese ; 
there  is  Borghetto  di  Ranzo,  with  its  little 
chapel,  which  contains  a  good  picture  with 
several  compartments,  representing  the 
Madonna,  St.  Sebastian,  and  other  subjects, 
enclosed  in  an  antique  gilded  frame  ;  there 
is  Bacelega  on  the  hillside  ;  there  is  Ortovero 
amidst  the  orchards  ;  and,  when  getting  very 
near  Albenga,  there  is  Bastia  and  the  fortified 
house  from  which  it  doubtless  takes  its  name. 
Between  Borghetto  d'Arroscia  and  Borghetto 
di  Ranzo,  by  the  side  of  the  road,  and  at  a 
point  where  an  extensive  view  of  the  winding 
torrent  can  be  obtained,  stands  a  little  church 
dedicated  to  San  Pantaleo.  Its  porch  is 
covered  with  fifteenth  century  frescoes, 
representing  the  Madonna  and  Child,  Christ 
before  Pilate,  Christ  carrying  the  Cross,  the 
Last  Supper,  the  Raising  of  Lazarus,  and 
other  scenes  in  the  life  of  the  Saviour — a 
delightful  harmony  in  red,  yellow,  green,  and 


The  Impero  and  the  Arroscia  119 


blue,  especially  when  seen  on  such  a  clear 
day  as  that  on  which  we  followed  the  long, 
white  road  towards  Albenga.  These  paint- 
ings were  the  work  of  Franchinus  Saiada,  and 
he  executed  them  in  the  years  1491  and  1493, 
as  shown  by  the  dates  which  he  carved  above 
the  sculptured  slate  doorways.  He  was  a 
sculptor  as  well  as  a  painter,  and  his  bas- 
reliefs  of  angels  are  almost  as  clear  cut  as 
when,  more  than  four  hundred  years  ago,  he 
worked  (on  just  such  a  bright,  sunny  day  as 
ours,  it  pleased  us  to  picture  him)  on  the  hard, 
black  stone.  There  is  a  second  beautiful  old 
church,  shaded  by  two  enormous  cypresses, 
a  short  distance  along  the  road  after  leaving 
Borghetto  di  Ranzo.  Above  the  door  is 
another  ancient  fresco,  and  inside  the  building 
is  a  noteworthy  picture  of  the  Madonna  della 
Rosario. 

As  we  came  within  sight  of  the  towers  of 
Albenga,  the  sun  was  setting  behind  the 
circle  of  deep  purple  hills  which  encompass 
the  town,  and,  on  looking  backwards,  we 
beheld  one  of  those  superb  sunsets  for  which 
this  district  is  noted.  The  broad,  stony  bed 
of  the  river  Centa,  as  the  waters  of  the 
Arroscia  and  Lerone  torrents  are  called  after 
mingling  at  Villanova,   was  flooded  with 


120  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


golden  light  ;  dark  clouds  stretched  j  ast 
above  the  pointed  crests  of  the  mountains ; 
above  were  lighter  ones,  gloriously  roseate  ; 
and,  higher  still,  were  pure  white  cirrus 
cloudlets  with  deep  pink  edges.  No  one 
could  have  desired  a  more  fitting  spectacle 
with  which  to  end  the  day. 


^  •  - 

Roadside  Chapel  with  frescoes,  Arroscia  Valley 


Albenga  Cathedral 


CHAPTER  VI 

ALBENGA 

It  has  well  been  said  that  few  Italian  towns, 
and  certainly  none  in  Liguria,  can  boast  of 
such  glorious  memories,  recorded  in  the 
pages  of  Roman  history,  as  those  of  ancient 
Albenga/'  The  banks  of  the  river  Centa  were 
the  scene  of  that  titanic  struggle  between 

121 


122  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


the  Romans  and  the  tribe  of  Ligurians  known 
as  the  Ingauni,  which  followed  on  the  victory 
of  Zama  (201  B.C.),  near  Carthage,  and  the 
close  of  the  second  Carthaginian  War — a 
struggle,  as  shown  by  the  pages  of  Livy,  which 
was  remarkable  for  the  heroic  resistance  of 
the  vanquished  and  the  ruthless  cruelty  of 
the  conquerors. 

The  Romans  had  a  special  reason  for  the 
vindictiveness  with  which  they  conducted 
their  campaign  against  the  capital  of  the 
Ingauni,  then  situated  on  the  slope  of  the 
hill  which  overlooks  the  Isle  of  Gallinaria, 
since  these  had  been  the  close  allies  of  Magone, 
the  brother  of  Hannibal,  and  had  on  many 
occasions  been  of  the  greatest  service  to  the 
Carthaginians.  Whilst  Hannibal  was  march- 
ing into  Italy  over  the  Alps,  Magone,  with  the 
object  of  invading  the  valley  of  the  Po  by 
way  of  the  Bormida  valley,  had  disembarked 
on  the  Riviera  di  Ponente,  where  he  knew 
that  the  inhabitants,  and  particularly  those 
of  Albenga  and  Savona,  were  favourable  to 
his  plans.  With  the  aid  of  his  Ligurian 
mercenaries,  he  had  attacked  and  destroyed 
Genoa,  a  city  which  had  secretly  been 
favourable  to  Rome.  This  had  never  been 
forgotten  by  the  Romans,  so  that  when  the 


Albenga 


123 


time  came  to  establish  themselves  in  Liguria 
they  set  about  their  work  of  conquest  with 
the  thoroughness  which  marked  all  their 
undertakings. 

Marcus  Sempronius  and  Appius  Claudius 
were  sent  to  conquer  the  two  Rivieras,  and 
it  fell  to  the  latter  to  begin  the  difficult  task 
of  overcoming  the  Ingauni.  Not  until  the 
Ligurians  had  lost  six  strongholds  and  the 
battlefield  was  strewn  with  their  dead  did 
they  give  up  the  fight.  Many  thousands  of 
citizens  were  taken  prisoners  and  transported, 
and  forty-three  of  the  most  prominent  were 
beheaded.  This  victory,  however,  by  no 
means  brought  the  struggle  to  an  end.  In 
conjunction  with  the  Epanteri,  another  of 
the  tribes  of  Liguria  and  formerly  their 
enemies,  the  Ingauni  endeavoured  to  throw 
off  the  Roman  yoke,  and  once  more  ancient 
Albenga  was  besieged.  The  result  is  summed 
up  in  Livy's  incisive  phrase  :  iEmilius 
Paulus  proconsul  ex  Liguribus  Ingaunis 
triumphavit."  Thirteen  thousand  Ligurians 
were  killed  and  two  thousand  five  hundred 
were  taken  prisoners. 

Such  was  the  importance  attached  in  Rome 
to  this  success  that  the  return  of  the  con- 
queror was  made  the  occasion  for  special 


124  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


rejoicings:  three  days'  public  prayers  were 
ordered,  and  Paulus  iEmilius  was  drawn 
through  the  streets  of  the  city  in  a  triumphal 
car,  preceded  by  the  enchained  leaders  of 
the  Ligurian  insurrection  and  the  twenty-five 
golden  crowns  which  he  had  captured  from 
the  enemy. 

Yet  even  then  the  conquest  of  the  stubborn 
inhabitants  of  Albenga  was  not  final.  AuUus 
Postumius  had  to  take  up  the  work  begun 
by  Appius  Claudius  and  continued  by  Paulus 
iEmilius,  and  not  until  he  had  unmercifully 
massacred  or  transported  the  Ingauni  could 
it  be  said  that  Liguria  had  come  under  the 
sway  of  Rome. 

The  story  of  these  concluding  years  of 
conquest  is  one  of  the  blackest  in  history,  and 
says  little  for  the  generosity  of  the  Romans  ; 
for  we  learn  from  Pliny,  who  says,  "  nec  situs, 
neo  origines  persequi  facile  est  Ingaunis 
Liguribus,  ut  costeri  omittantur  agro  tricies 
dato,''  that  the  Senate,  in  order  to  destroy 
the  domestic  affections  of  the  deported 
Ingauni,  changed  their  place  of  residence  no 
fewer  than  thirty  times.  Even  if  we  regard 
that  word  tricies  as  an  alteration  of  vicies  or 
decies,  as  it  most  probably  is,  what  a 
tale    of    misery,    heroically    supported,  is 


Albenga 


125 


unfolded  in  the  words  of  the  Roman 
naturahst  ! 

From  what  we  know  of  the  magnificence 
of  other  Roman  cities,  and  with  the  aid  of 
the  remains  which  have  been  discovered  at 
Albenga,  it  is  possible  to  form  a  very  fair  idea 
of  the  transformation  which  the  capital  of 
the  Ingauni  underwent  at  the  hands  of  the 
conquerors.  It  became  a  city  of  fine  houses, 
inhabited  by  powerful  Roman  families — a  city 
with  triumphal  arches,  well-made  streets, 
luxurious  places  of  amusement,  and  magnifi- 
cent churches,  dedicated  to  pagan  divinities. 
Many  famous  people  must  have  been  born 
there,  and,  among  them,  in  all  probability, 
the  Emperor  Pertinax,  whom  Albenga  has 
ever  claimed  as  one  of  her  sons.  ^  For,  though 
Gibbon,  Giuistiniani,  and  other  authorities 
each  give  a  different  town  as  his  native  place, 
Albenga  can,  by  pointing  to  a  certain  portrait 
which  was  brought  to  light  there,  and  by 
appealing  to  tradition,  make  out  as  strong  a 
case  as  anyone. 

Striking  evidence  of  all  this  magnificence 
is  naturally,  nowadays,  wanting.  In  409, 
Albenga  was  destroyed  by  Aleric,  King  of  the 

^  Albenga  is  also  said  to  have  been  the  birthplace  of 
another  Roman  Emperor,  Titus  Elius  Proculus,  but  the 
evidence  is  not  as  strong  in  this  case  as  in  the  other. 


126  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Visigoths ;  consequently  one  must  look  to 
the  period  of  her  resurrection,  in  the  days  of 
Flavius  Costanzius,  the  general  of  the  Emperor 
Honorius,  who  defeated  Aleric's  successor, 
Ataulf,  to  find  any  remarkable  specimens  of 
Roman  work.  In  rebuilding  the  city,  on  the 
plain,  Costanzius'  first  care  was  to  erect  a 
baptistery — that  beautiful  octagonal  building 
which  stands  on  the  left  of  the  cathedral, 
and  which  those  who  desire  to  trace  the  his- 
tory of  Albenga  in  a  comprehensive  manner 
would  do  well  to  see  before  any  other. 

This  baptistery  is  surrounded  on  six  of  its 
sides  by  a  railing  and  a  little  moat,  the  depth 
of  which  is  a  valuable  indication  as  to  the 
age  of  the  building.  To  reach  the  interior 
it  is  necessary  to  pass  through  the  shop  of  a 
draper  and  dealer  in  second-hand  odds-and- 
ends  (a  singular  means  of  ingress  which  drew 
from  the  Antiquary  an  indignant  Che 
vergogna  ! and  on  entering  the  baptistery, 
by  an  iron  door  on  the  right,  you  descend  to 
its  original  level  by  a  flight  of  stone  steps. 
Either  these  steps  or  the  depth  of  the  moat 
may  be  used  as  a  scale  to  measure  the  increase 
which  has  taken  place  along  the  centuries 
in  the  height  of  the  land  on  the  banks  of  the 
Centa.    Owing  to  innumerable  floods,  the 


A  portion  of  the  Baptistery ,  Albenga 


Albenga 


127 


ground  has  been  raised  about  the  depth  of  a 
step  every  century,  and  as  there  are  thirteen 
or  fourteen  steps  down  into  the  baptistery, 
the  date  of  its  construction  may  be  fixed 
approximately  as  the  fifth  century.  The 
style  in  which  it  is  built  supports  the  claim 
that  it  dates  from  the  days  of  Flavins  Cos- 
tanzius  :  itj^is  similar  in  character  to  the  most 
ancient  of  early  Christian  buildings,  and, 
although  it  was  built  for  Christian  uses, 
archaeologists  have  decided  that,  as  was  usual 
in  the  fifth  and  sixth  centuries,  part  of  the 
materials  with  which  it  was  constructed  were 
the  remains  of  some  older  pagan  temple. 
The  granite  columns  and  their  carved  capitals 
bear  all  the  characteristics  of  works  of  art 
of  the  best  period.  The  pierced  and  sculp- 
tured stone  plaques,  which  serve  as  windows 
in  the  semicircular  recesses,  are  also  fine 
examples  of  early  sculpture.  But  perhaps 
the  most  noteworthy  specimen  of  primitive 
art  work  is  the  mosaic,  formed  with  small 
pieces  of  coloured  glass,  which  ornaments  the 
arch  of  one  of  the  recesses,  that  immediately 
facing  the  entrance.  The  design  represents 
the  mystic  lamb,  surrounded  by  doves  and 
stars — the  symbols,  in  the  early  days  of  the 
Church,  of  the  mystery  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 


128  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


The  special  manner  in  which  this  recess  is 
decorated  shows  that  the  ancient  altar  of 
the  baptistery  was  situated  there.  On  each 
side  of  the  entrance  are  two  stone  coffins, 
which  are  supposed  to  have  once  held  the  relics 
of  those  Bishops  of  Albenga  whom  the 
inhabitants  held  in  special  esteem  on  account 
of  their  saintliness.  Bunches  of  grapes  form 
part  of  the  carving  in  low  relief,  and  these — 
one  of  the  well-known  symbols  employed  by 
early  Christians — allude  to  the  words  of  the 
Saviour  :  Ego  sum  vitis,  vos  palmites." 
The  original  octagonal  font  in  the  centre  of 
the  baptistery  was  removed  by  Bishop 
Fieschi,  with  the  idea  of  modernising  the 
building,  so  that  the  remains  of  the  one  now 
seen  there  date  only  from  1588.  A  much 
later  font  stands  in  one  of  the  semicircular 
alcoves.  Marchese,  another  of  the  Bishops 
of  Albenga,  had  already,  nearly  a  century 
before,  begun  to  restore  the  edifice ;  and 
again,  in  1865,  it  underwent  a  httle  judicious 
restoration.  A  number  of  ancient  amphorae, 
found,  presumably,  in  or  near  the  baptistery, 
are  also  on  view  to  the  right  of  the 
entrance. 

Behind  the  cathedral  is  a  little  square, 
known  as  the  Piazza  dei  Leoni,  and  above  it 


Albenga 


129 


rises  one  of  the  many  brick  towers  of  Albenga. 
May  we  regard  this  tower  (which  is  mentioned 
in  a  document  of  1288)  and  the  three  stone 
lions,  standing  on  pedestals  in  the  corners  of 
the  piazza  J  as  the  remains  of  a  fine  monument 
raised  by  the  inhabitants  of  ancient  Albenga 
to  the  memory  of  the  man  who  rebuilt  their 
city  ?  Possibly  so.  At  any  rate,  there  is 
still  another  monument  which  undoubtedly 
testifies  to  the  work  of  Flavins  Costanzius. 
About  a  third  of  a  mile  to  the  north  of  the 
town  there  stretches  along  the  side  of  the 
road,  surrounded  by  fields  devoted  to  the 
cultivation  of  tomatoes  and  maize,  the  well- 
preserved  remains  of  a  Roman  bridge.  This 
is  the  famous  ponte  lungo — 147  metres  in 
length,  and  three  and  a  half  metres  broad — 
which  Costanzius,  in  order  to  facilitate  com- 
munications with  Albenga,  built  over  the 
Centa.  Water  no  longer  flows  under  its  ten 
arches,  the  tops  of  many  of  which  are  reached 
by  the  earth  ;  for  the  river  is  now  half-a-mile 
away,  placidly  flowing  beneath  the  remains 
of  the  old  wall  which  once  completely  sur- 
rounded the  town.  When  it  changed  its 
course  no  one  can  say,  since  there  is  no  record 
of  the  event.  Some  time,  however,  between 
the  fifth  and  the  tenth  centuries,  the  Lerone 

9— (2230) 


130  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


and  Arroscia  torrents  brought  down  such 
immense  quantities  of  earth  from  the  moun- 
tains that  the  bed  of  the  ever-rising  Centa 
became  blocked,  so  much  so,  indeed,  that  at 
last  it  was  obliged  to  seek  a  free  passage  to 
the  sea  along  another  channel.  ^ 

If  the  ponte  lungo  be  taken  as  representing 
Roman  times,  and  the  baptistery  as  a  relic 
of  the  early  days  of  Christianity,  the  Cathedral 
of  St.  Michael  and  the  towers  of  Albenga  may 
be  pointed  out  as  typifying  the  Middle  Ages. 

The  cathedral,  with  its  square  brick  tower 
and  pointed  spire  of  coloured  tiles,  is,  owing 
to  the  numerous  changes  which  its  architecture 
has  undergone,  a  curious  mixture  of  Gothic 
and  the  baroque.  The  original  building  out 
of  which  it  grew  was  erected  by  the  Com- 
mune of  Albenga  as  a  parliament-house  and 
church  combined,  dedicated  to  the  Archangel, 
whom  the  people  of  the  town  had  chosen  as 
their  protector,  and  whose  figure  they  placed 
on  their  coat-of-arms.  Finding,  as  the  place 
grew  in  importance,  that  their  bishop  needed 

^  "  During  the  pliocene  period,  the  Albenga  district 
consisted  of  a  deep  gulf,  which  extended  for  thirteen  or 
fourteen  kilometres  into  the  Arroscia  valley  and  a  little 
less  into  that  of  the  Neva — a  gulf  which  was  filled  up  by 
deposits  from  these  two  rivers,  then  independent." — Arturo 
Issel's  Liguria  Geologica  e  Prehistorica. 


Albenga 


131 


an  ampler  and  more  majestic  place  of 
worship,  the  building  was  gradually  converted 
into  a  cathedral.  In  1419  Pope  Martin  V 
granted  a  three  years'  indulgence  to  whoso- 
ever, with  arm  or  with  money,  aided  in  the 
work  of  reconstruction,  from  which  we  may 
conclude  that  it  was  then  beginning  to  fall 
into  ruins.  The  tower  was  erected  in  1453. 
But  more  than  a  century  later,  in  1585,  it 
was  again  in  a  very  bad  state  of  repair,  and 
the  then  reigning  bishop,  Luca  Fieschi,  was 
obliged  to  restore  it  at  his  own  expense.  He 
it  was  who  had  the  original  level  of  the  build- 
ing raised  to  that  of  the  surrounding  streets, 
the  difference  being  from  one  to  no  fewer 
than  three  metres  !  Restoration  or  addition 
continued  in  this  way  until  as  late  as  the 
eighteenth  century.  The  interior  of  the 
building,  with  its  well-painted  ceiHng  and 
square  columns,  on  which  are  figures  repre- 
senting Religion,  Charity,  Hope,  Temperance, 
Fortitude,  and  other  virtues,  is  almost  wholly 
modern,  so  that  to  find  examples  of  early 
work  one  has  to  look  on  its  exterior.  There 
is  some  interesting  carving  over  the  side 
entrance,  facing  the  baptistery,  but  the  most 
curious  specimens  of  primitive  sculpture  are 
on  the  principal  fagade,  opposite  the  Piazza 


132   Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


San  Michele,  from  which  the  best  view  of  the 
building  is  obtainable. 

Many  are  the  bishops  whose  bones  repose 
in  this  cathedral,  and  many  were  the  cele- 
brated ecclesiasts  who,  after  officiating 
there,  rose  to  greater  eminence.  Sinibaldo 
Fieschi,  Bishop  of  Albenga  in  1235,  became 
Innocent  IV  ;  Giulio  de'  Medici,  who  held  the 
same  office,  was  elevated  to  the  papacy  in 
the  sixteenth  century  as  Clement  VII  ; 
whilst  Giorgio  Fieschi,  Bendinello  SauH,  and 
Girolamo  Grimaldi,  holders  of  the  Albenga 
episcopate  in  the  fourteenth  and  sixteenth 
centuries,  all  of  them  became  cardinals. 

If  further  evidence  of  the  past  ecclesiastical 
importance  of  Albenga  were  wanting,  it  can 
be  found  in  the  magnificent  cathedral  library, 
which,  thanks  to  an  obliging  canon,  we  were 
able  to  visit  and  examine  at  our  leisure. 
But  the  fine  volumes  of  which  it  is  composed 
are  now  kept  in  a  room  which  can  hardly  be 
called  a  library,  since  it  is  nothing  more  than 
an  attic  at  the  top  of  one  of  the  low  buildings 
adjoining  the  right  of  the  cathedral.  When 
we  entered  this  room,  on  a  sunny  October 
afternoon,  the  window  was  wide  open,  and, 
suspended  from  canes  stretching  between  two 
pieces  of  dust-covered  furniture,  were  dozens 


Albenga 


133 


of  bunches  of  grapes,  drying  for  the  winter 
use  of  some  ecclesiast  or  official  connected 
with  the  cathedral !  Removing  a  screen  from 
the  front  of  one  of  the  cupboards  with  which 
two  of  the  sides  of  the  chamber  are  lined,  our 
friend  the  canon  proceeded  to  unlock  it  with 
one  of  the  most  ordinary  of  keys  ;  and  as 
he  drew  forth  the  most  precious  of  the  many 
ancient  manuscript  volumes,  bound  in  vellum, 
we  could  not  help  thinking  how  easy  it  would 
have  been,  even  for  the  most  inexperienced 
of  burglars,  to  enter  by  that  open  window  and, 
without  exciting  the  least  suspicion,  to  cariy 
off  those  bibliographical  treasures.  The  cathe- 
dral authorities  are,  of  course,  well  aware 
of  the  inadequate  way  in  which  their  beautiful 
old  books  are  stored,  and  it  has  been  proposed 
that  the  choicest  of  these  be  moved  to  another 
room,  where,  in  show-cases,  and  safely  under 
lock  and  key,  they  could  be  placed  on  view 
for  the  benefit  of  the  connoisseurs  who  come 
to  Albenga  in  search  of  the  beautiful.  It  is 
much  to  be  hoped  that  this  suggestion  will  be 
quickly  carried  into  effect,  otherwise  it  is  to 
be  feared  that  the  manuscripts  of  the  cathedral 
of  Albenga  are  doomed,  sooner  or  later,  to 
deterioration,  if  not  destruction,  through 
damp  and  bookworms.    The  choicest  of  these 


134  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


manuscript  volumes  are  five  in  number,  all 
dating  from  the  fifteenth  century.  The  cali- 
graphy  on  their  parchment  leaves  is  as  fine 
and  as  accurate  as  any  of  the  printing  in  our 
finest  examples  of  typography,  and  they  con- 
tain initial  letters  and  miniatures,  in  blue 
and  gold,  which  may  be  said  to  be  as 
exquisite  as  any  illumination  ever  produced  by 
monkish  scribe.  Many  of  these  miniatures, 
although  but  a  few  square  inches  in  area, 
are  complete  pictures,  with  the  faces  of 
angels,  saints,  virgins,  and  monks,  all  most 
tenderly  expressive  and  full  of  the  most 
delicate  detail ;  and  the  colours  with  which 
they  are  painted  are  every  bit  as  fresh  as  on 
the  day  on  which  they  left  the  brush.  One 
of  the  volumes  is  a  large  folio  Bible  ;  another 
is  a  breviary,  bearing  the  arms  of  one  of  the 
Bishops  of  Albenga,  who  probably  ordered  it 
to  be  produced  ;  a  third  is  a  martyrology  ; 
a  fourth  is  a  missal ;  and  the  fifth  is  a  psalter. 
There  are  also  quite  a  number  of  illuminated 
books  of  music,  but  the  five  manuscript 
volumes  I  have  mentioned  are  the  pick 
of  the  collection,  and  in  the  case  of  these 
the  cathedral  authorities  have,  every  two 
years,  to  render  an  account  to  the  Italian 
government. 


Albenga 


135 


The  quarter  in  which  the  cathedral  stands, 
that  of  San  Giovanni  Battista — and  it  is  a 
noteworthy  fact  that  it  took  its  name,  not 
from  the  church,  but  from  the  baptistery — 
was  the  most  important  of  the  four  districts, 
each  separated  by  gates,  into  which  Albenga 
was  divided  in  the  Middle  Ages.  These  gates 
no  longer  exist — they  were  doubtless  pulled 
down  when  the  town  wall  was  rebuilt  in  1553 — 
but  the  names  of  the  quarters  remain.  The 
three  others  are  those  of  San  Siro,  Santa 
Eulalia,  and  Santa  Maria — the  last  taking  its 
name  from  the  ancient  collegiate  church  of 
Santa  Maria  in  Fontibus  which  is  still 
standing. 

This  tenth  century  church  is  at  no  great 
distance  to  the  right  of  the  cathedral.  Origin- 
ally dedicated  wholly  to  the  Virgin,  the  addi- 
tional appellation — in  Fontibus — was  given 
because  of  a  miraculous  spring,  said  to  be  a 
sure  cure  for  leprosy,  which  one  day  bubbled 
forth  under  the  choir.  It  disappeared  as 
mysteriously  as  it  had  come,  in  consequence, 
it  is  related,  of  a  woman  having  polluted 
its  waters  by  immersing  her  little  dog,  which 
was  suffering  from  the  above-named  disease. 
The  exterior  of  Santa  Maria  in  Fontibus, 
does  not  need  any  special  mention,  but  the 


136  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


interior  deserves  a  few  words.  It  contains, 
on  the  left-hand  side,  a  white  carved  marble 
holy-water  stoop,  dated  1628,  and  some  very 
good  pictures.  One  of  the  best  represents 
the  Raising  of  Lazarus.  Christ  is  standing 
by  the  bedside,  at  the  foot  of  the  bed  is  a 
woman  warming  a  cloth  in  front  of  a  charcoal 
brazier,  and  in  the  upper  left-hand  corner  is 
God  surrounded  by  angels. 

Helpful  as  the  ecclesiastical  buildings  of 
Albenga  are  in  forming  a  picture  of  the  life 
of  the  Middle  Ages,  the  towers  of  the  town, 
built  for  civic  uses,  are  what  bring  it  before 
our  mental  eye  most  vividly.  There  are  four 
of  these  towers,  all  of  brick,  near  the  cathedral 
— one  to  the  left  of  that  building  ;  a  second 
behind  it ;  a  third  above  a  building  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  narrow  Via  Bernardo 
Ricci,  at  the  corner  of  the  Piazza  San  Michele  ; 
and  the  fourth,  much  lower  than  the  others, 
surmounting  a  house  which  forms  another  of 
the  angles  of  the  square.  The  most  interesting 
of  these  is  the  first-named.  Its  elegant 
windows  with  pointed  arches,  supported  in 
the  middle  by  slender,  marble  columns, 
indicate  that  it  was  once  regarded  as  a  building 
of  special  importance.  It  was,  in  fact,  the 
tower  of  the  parliament-house  built  by  the 


Albenga 


137 


Commune  of  Albenga  when  the  church  of 
St.  Michael  was  abandoned,  and  it  \/as 
doubtless  the  residence  of  the  Podestas 
during  the  thirteenth,  fourteenth,  and  fifteenth 
centuries.  The  bell  in  its  campanile  certainly 
called  the  people  together,  and  we  know  for 
certain,  also,  that  they  assembled  to  discuss 
the  business  of  the  town  in  a  large  chamber 
on  the  ground  floor  of  the  building  :  a  room 
over  whose  entrance  were  the  words  Mens 
omnibus  una  "  (an  imitation  of  the  Virgilian 
Vox  omnibus  una  "),  and  around  the  walls 
of  which  were  busts,  with  inscriptions,  of  the 
most  celebrated  of  the  former  citizens  of 
Albenga,  including  the  Emperors  Pertinax  and 
Proculus. 

When  we  had  pondered  over  all  the  promi- 
nent monuments  of  Albenga,  we  endeavoured 
to  complete  the  picture  which  they  call  up 
by  sauntering  through  her  streets  and  musing 
on  the  days  when  she  was  a  flourishing  town 
of  silversmiths,  weavers,  tanners,  and  mercers ; 
and  in  spite  of  the  undoubted  decadence 
which  has  set  in  in  modern  times,  we  suc- 
ceeded in  our  object.  Though  the  houses 
in  the  narrow  streets  are  often  badly  in 
need  of  repair,  and  the  acrid  smell  of  wine- 
presses issues  from  many  a  one-time  noble 


138  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


building,  the  atmosphere  around  you  belongs 
more  to  olden  than  to  modern  days.  There 
is  a  stateliness  in  the  architecture  of  some  of 
the  houses  which  we  do  not  find  in  those  of 
to-day.  Slate  bas-reliefs — at  times  with  in- 
scriptions in  Latin — adorn  the  portals,  and  on 
looking  inside  the  porches  you  discover 
massive  marble  staircases  and  painted  walls. 
The  love  of  the  Italians  for  colour  is  a  very 
marked  feature  of  Albenga.  Wherever  you 
wander  you  see  painted  facades.  There  are 
paintings  on  the  cathedral  tower,  on  most  of 
the  fronts  of  the  more  important  public  and 
private  edifices,  such  as  the  hospital  and  the 
home  for  aged  people,  and  another  of  the 
towers  of  the  town,  that  rising  above  the 
building  now  used  as  a  technical  school,  is 
entirely  covered.  Besides  purely  decorative 
designs,  there  are  religious  paintings — some 
of  them  mere  fragments,  it  is  true,  but 
nevertheless  harmonious  in  colouring,  and  a 
distinct  addition  to  the  town's  beauty. 
Weather-beaten  though  they  be,  they  are, 
perhaps,  even  more  beautiful  now  than  when 
they  were  painted,  and  the  colours  were  fresh. 
In  such  cases  Time  is  often  a  great  beautifier. 

A  good  view  of  the  town  and  a  portion  of 
its  ancient  wall  is  to  be  had  from  the  opposite 


Albenga 


139 


bank  of  the  Centa,  after  crossing  the  new 
iron  bridge  leading  from  the  Vmzza,  XX 
Settembre,  but  to  my  mind  the  best  point 
from  which  to  see  it  lies  further  down  the 
stream.  Almost  at  the  very  mouth  of  the 
river,  which  you  can  cross  by  a  plank  when 
the  water  is  low,  is  a  good  deal  of  marshy 
ground,  a  perfect  godsend  to  the  botanist, 
since  its  paludal  flora  is  exceedingly  rich  in 
specimens  of  plants  which  grow  in  no  other 
part  of  Liguria.  Here  you  have  a  foreground 
of  reeds  and  tall  aquatic  grasses,  then  a 
screen  of  trees,  and  above  their  tops  you 
obtain  an  admirable  view  of  the  ruddy 
towers  and  houses  of  ancient  Albenga.  The 
sight  of  this  swampy  ground,  by  the  by, 
made  the  Antiquary  quote  the  well-known 
Ligurian  proverb  : — 

"  Albenga  piana — se  fosse  sana 
Se  chiameria — stella  Diana," 

which  he  explained  to  me  was  a  reference  to 
the  fetid  swamps  which  surrounded  the 
town  in  the  twelfth  century  and  made  the 
place  so  unhealthy  that  many  of  the 
inhabitants  withdrew  to  the  hillsides. 

Walking  westward  along  the  beach,  we 
soon  came  face  to  face  with  the  Isle  of  Gal- 
linaria,  which  is  separated  from  the  mainland 


140  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


by  a  narrow  channel  of  sea.  This  bare 
and  inhospitable-looking  little  island,  rising 
abruptly  from  the  sea,  somewhat  in  the  form 
of  a  truncated  cone,  played  its  part  in  the 
history  of  the  Church,  and  reminds  the 
traveller  of  those  early  days  when  Christianity 
was  being  introduced  into  this  part  of  the 
world.  San  Calocero,  Bishop  of  Milan, 
preached  the  doctrines  of  the  new  religion  at 
Albenga  in  the  year  180,  and  about  the 
middle  of  the  fourth  century  came  St.  Martin, 
Bishop  of  Tours,  not,  it  is  true,  with  the 
object  of  making  fresh  converts,  though  his 
coming  undoubtedly  led  to  that  result,  but 
in  order  to  flee  from  his  persecutors,  the 
Ariani.  He  found  a  place  of  refuge  (tradition 
says  that  it  was  in  the  year  350)  in  a  cave, 
six  yards  in  length,  and  which  still  bears  his 
name,  on  the  Isle  of  Gallinaria,  and  he  is 
said  to  have  lived  there  for  more  than  a  year 
performing  many  miracles,  not  the  least 
strange  of  which  was  his  consumption  of  the 
poisonous  plants,  which  were  his  sole  source 
of  nourishment,  since  none  other  would  grow 
there.  A  few  years  later  St.  Ilario  is  believed 
to  have  set  foot  on  the  island  in  search  of 
St.  Martin,  but  the  Bishop  of  Tours  had 
already  left  for  Rome  to  pay  a  visit  to  St. 


Albenga 


141 


Ilario  !  The  Isle  of  Gallinaria  was  ever  after 
regarded  with  veneration  by  the  Church, 
and  when  the  Benedictines,  who  played  a  great 
part  in  the  affairs  of  Albenga  and  district 
during  the  Middle  Ages,  established  them- 
selves there,  they  raised  an  altar  in  St. 
Martin's  cave  and  built  a  church  and  monas- 
tery on  the  topmost  part  of  the  island.  It 
was  in  this  church  that  Pope  Alexander  III, 
in  1162,  when  surprised  by  a  storm  and 
forced  to  land,  celebrated  divine  service  ;  and 
a  Bull  which  he  issued  several  years  later, 
taking  the  property  of  the  Benedictines  under 
his  special  protection,  shows  the  great 
affection  he  retained  for  little  Gallinaria. 

The  Benedictines  of  Albenga  possessed 
the  chapel  of  Santa  Croce,  the  ruins  of  which 
stand  on  the  headland  which  rises  high  above 
the  sea  to  the  west  of  the  town.  It  stands  by 
the  side  of  the  Roman  road  which  ran  along 
the  coast,  and  which  still  forms  a  link  between 
Albenga  and  Alassio.  So  we  climbed  up 
the  ancient  way,  to  be  rewarded  on  reaching 
its  highest  point  by  superb  views  both  east 
and  west.  Far  below,  rising  from  the  deep 
blue  sea,  lay  Gallinaria  ;  whilst  enframed  by 
the  chapel's  irregular  stone  doorway  appeared 
the  fine  sweep  of  the  Bay  of  Alassio,  with  its 


142  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


stretch  of  pure  white  sand  and  the  gleaming 
fagades  of  its  hotels  and  villas. 

It  has  been  claimed  that  Alassio  was  founded 
by  Aleramus,  that  adventurer  of  the  tenth 
century  who  married  a  daughter  of  the 
Emperor  Ottone  I,  but  the  statement  is 
unsupported  by  even  the  smallest  piece  of 
historical  evidence.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
this  beautiful  little  seaside  town,  now 
renowned  as  a  winter  and  summer  resort  of 
the  first  order,  was  only,  in  the  thirteenth 
and  fourteenth  centuries,  a  small  group  of 
poor  houses,  occupied  for  the  most  part  by 
fisher-folk,  and  the  ownership  of  which  was 
a  source  of  constant  dispute  between  the 
Friars  and  the  Commune  of  Albenga. 

We  descended  the  Roman  road,  amidst 
olives  and  carob-trees,  on  to  its  unparalleled 
beach  (at  one  end  of  which  stands  a  circular 
fort  that  once  formed  part  of  the  town's 
defences  against  the  Saracens),  and  there, 
tranquilly  promenading  in  the  mild  October 
air,  we  met  a  man  who  might  have  been 
Robinson  Crusoe  himself.  A  more  picturesque 
figure  we  never  saw  in  our  lives.  His 
only  clothing  consisted  of  a  pair  of  primitive 
sandals,  a  white  loin  cloth,  and  a  brown 
canvas  bag  slung  on  his  back.    Long,  white, 


Albenga 


143 


silky  hair  hung  down  over  his  shoulders,  and 
so  long  had  he  basked  and  promenaded  in 
the  eternal  sun  of  the  Riviera  that  his  skin 
had  become  the  colour  of  roasted  coffee.  We 
found  that  he  was  of  German  nationality  ; 
a  total  abstainer  and  fruitarian  ;  and  that, 
in  company  with  his  wife  and  child  and  a 
donkey,  he  was  accustomed  to  pass  all  his 
time  in  the  open  air.  The  soft  white  beach 
of  Alassio  was,  winter  and  summer  alike,  his 
dining-room  and  his  bed-chamber,  and  this 
primeval  mode  of  life  had  led  to  a  state  of 
health  which  he  had  never  enjoyed  in  the 
days  when  he  lived  in  houses. 


The  Ruined  Castle  at  Alassio 


Spanish  triumphal  arch  at  Finalmarina 

CHAPTER  VII 

ALONG  THE  COAST  :    TO  FINALMARINA 

Knapsack  on  back  and  stick  in  hand,  we 
had  once  more  become  wayfarers.  For  a 
few  miles  our  road  lay  inland,  past  the  Ponte 
Lungo  and  across  the  rich  alluvial  land  which 
the  people  of  Albenga  have  so  profitably 
converted  into  market  gardens,  and  we  did 
not  touch  the  coast  again  until  we  had  reached 

144 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Finalmarina  145 


Ceriale.  The  Mediterranean  was  then  once 
more  our  compagno  di  viaggio  (to  use  the 
Antiquary's  phrase),  and,  except  whilst  on 
a  short  excursion  up  the  Varatella  torrent  to 
Toirano,  a  blue  expanse  of  sea  and  the  ever- 
welcome  sound  of  breakers  were  ours  as  far 
as  Finalmarina,  where,  for  the  fourth  time, 
our  joint  interests  made  us  direct  our  steps 
far  into  the  hills  and  dales  of  Liguria. 

How  deceptive  is  the  tranquillity  of  the 
little  coast  towns  of  the  Ligurian  Sea !  So 
calm  nowadays  is  the  life  of  their  inhabitants, 
so  occupied  are  they  with  the  peaceful  arts 
of  fishing  and  husbandry  that  the  traveller 
has  sometimes  a  difficulty  in  conceiving  that 
it  was  once  disturbed  by  war's  alarms.  Yet 
not  one  of  the  villages  through  which  we  passed 
managed  to  escape  the  turmoil  into  which 
the  greed  of  man  has  time  after  time  thrown 
this  maritime  province  ;  and  a  little  search 
generally  reveals  the  ancient  scars  of  these 
unwilling  warriors  of  the  past.  The  crumb- 
ling round  towers  of  Ceriale  are  an  example, 
and  may  be  regarded  as  symbolical  at  one 
and  the  same  time  of  her  desire  to  live  a  life 
of  peace  and  the  shattering  of  that  most 
laudable  hope ;  for  on  the  night  of  July  2nd, 
1637,  they  failed  to  save  her  from  the  band 

10 — (2230 ) 


146  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


of  Algerian  and  Tunisian  pirates  which 
landed  on  the  beach  and  besieged  the  village. 
Three  hundred  of  the  inhabitants  were  taken 
prisoners  and  led  into  captivity  on  the  African 
coast,  and  not  until  the  commune  had  paid 
a  ransom  of  more  than  16,000  lire — thus  con- 
tracting a  debt  of  which  it  was  not  relieved 
until  as  late  as  1800 — were  they  allowed  to 
return  to  their  homes. 

The  neighbouring  villages  of  Borghetto, 
San  Spirito,  Toirano,  and  Loano  (which,  by 
the  way,  was  the  birthplace,  on  January  22nd, 
1776,  of  Rosa  Raimondi,  the  mother  of 
Giuseppe  Garibaldi)  were  hardly  less  fortunate 
at  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century.  They 
were  the  scene  of  the  struggle  between  the 
troops  of  the  French  Republic  and  those  of 
the  allied  Austrians  and  Sardinians,  and  as 
regards  the  ferocity  with  which  the  inhabit- 
ants were  plundered  and  ill-treated  there  was 
little  to  choose,  as  the  records  show,  between 
the  conquerors  and  the  conquered.  Above 
Borghetto  and  Toirano  is  the  chain  of  moun- 
tains which  the  French  converted  into  a  strong 
line  of  fortifications  (known  under  the  name 
of  San  Spirito)  and  held  against  the  Austrians 
for  two  years  ;  whilst  at  the  latter  village, 
on  December  24th  and  25th,  1795,  was  fought 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Finalmarina  147 


an  important  battle  in  which  the  Austrians 
and  Sardinians  were  defeated. 

Our  visit  to  Toirano  (a  village  of  some  five 
hundred  souls,  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Varatella  and  Barassone  torrents  ;  a  charming 
little  place,  memorable  for  its  cleanliness,  its 
picturesqueness,  and  its  good  fare)  was 
occasioned,  however,  not  by  a  desire  to  revive 
recollections  of  the  Napoleonic  Wars,  but  by 
a  wish  to  see  the  Sanctuary  and  Grotto  of 
Santa  Lucia.  ^  They  are  situated  in  the 
rocky  flank  of  one  of  the  mountains  which 
rise  above  Toirano,  and  though  visible  from 
below,  and  seemingly  near  at  hand,  the  walk 
up  the  zig-zagging  path  which  the  faithful 
have  made  and  bordered  with  olives,  is  a 
long  and  tiring  one.  But  on  reaching  the 
platform,  planted  with  cypresses,  which  has 
been  built  in  front  of  the  painted  entrance  to 

1  Though  these  are  the  chief  attractions  of  the  district, 
Toirano,  as  one  of  the  oldest  places  in  Liguria,  is  interesting 
in  itself.  It  was  founded  at  the  time  of  the  Roman  domina- 
tion, and  was  an  oppidum — that  is,  a  walled  town.  Its 
origin  has  been  proved  by  the  traces  of  Roman  architecture 
and  the  coins,  bearing  the  effigies  of  Nero,  Domitian,  and 
Marcus  Aurelius,  which  have  been  discovered  there. 

The  parish  church,  dedicated  to  St.  Martin,  as  the  mural 
painting  over  the  doorway  shows,  is  not  unworthy  of  a 
visit.  It  contains  some  rather  good  modern  paintings, 
those  on  the  ceiling  representing  scenes  in  the  life  of  St. 
Martin,  and  a  fine  inlaid  marble  pulpit — all  of  them  really 
remarkable  works  for  a  small  village  church. 


148  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


the  Sanctuary,  one's  labour  is  amply  rewarded. 
It  is  not  the  Sanctuary,  however,  so  much 
as  the  Grotto,  which  is  interesting,  though 
its  antiquity  as  a  place  of  pilgrimage  is  un- 
doubted, since  it  is  mentioned  in  Leo  X's 
Bull,  Pastoralis  officii,''  under  the  date  of 
September  22nd,  1519.  There  is  no  such 
picturesque  story  as  that  of  Lampedusa  con- 
nected with  it.  The  shadowy  legend  of  the 
Saint  having  come  to  Toirano  and  spent  many 
days  in  the  grotto,  making  herself  worthy  of 
admission  to  Heaven  by  fasting  and  prayer, 
has  no  such  hold  over  the  imagination  as  the 
tradition  concerning  Andrea  Anfossi.  Nor 
is  the  position  of  the  Sanctuary  of  Santa 
Lucia  to  be  compared  to  that  of  the  Madonna 
of  Lampedusa.  It  is  true  that  there  is  a 
holy  "  spring,  reputed  to  be  a  certain  cure 
for  eye  diseases,  but  its  waters  are  conducted 
from  the  interior  to  the  exterior  of  the 
grotto  by  means  of  pipes,  so  that  the  poetic 
fancies  with  which  one  might  have  clothed  it, 
had  it  been  a  crystal  stream  pouring  from 
the  rock,  are  lacking.  The  grotto,  then,  takes 
precedence — as,  indeed,  a  work  of  Nature 
should — over  Man's  handiwork,  and  whilst 
exploring  it  by  the  dim  light  of  candles  one 
would  be  inclined  to  forget  Santa  Lucia  were 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Finalmarina  149 


it  not  for  the  guide's  persistence  in  introducing 
her  name  into  his  explanations.  The  forms 
which  certain  rocks  have  taken  under  the 
action  of  water  are  such  that  they  bear  a 
shght  resemblance  to  those  of  articles  used 
in  domestic  life,  and  to  believers  in  the 
legend  these  are  a  clear  proof  of  the  Virgin's 
presence  in  Toirano.  This  was  her  arm- 
chair ;  that  was  her  washing-tub  ;  and  here, 
clearly,  was  her  bed-chamber  !  The  cavern, 
which  owes  its  origin  principally  to  the 
erosive  action  of  water,  is  some  three  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  in  length,  and  its  exploration 
is  instructive  to  those  who  are  not  already 
acquainted  with  the  manner  in  which  stalac- 
tites and  stalagmites  are  formed  and  the  often 
beautiful  shapes  assumed  by  calcium  carbonate. 

The  large  number  of  grottos  which  are  to 
be  found  between  Toirano  and  Finalmarina 
may  well  permit  of  this  district  being  called 
the  Cavern  Country,  and  the  splendid  oppor- 
tunity for  study  which  nearly  all  of  them 
offer  is  one  that  should  not  be  missed.  There 
are  two  other  caverns  in  the  same  precipitous 
wall  of  rock  as  that  in  which  the  Grotto  of 
Santa  Lucia  is  situated  :  one  a  little  higher 
up,  on  the  left,  and  the  other,  called  the 
Caverna  Inferiore,  on  a  lower  level,  to  the 


150  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


right.  An  extremely  rare  batracia,  Pelodytes 
pundatuSj  was  found  in  the  latter.  Not  far 
from  Toirano,  there  is  also  the  Grotto  Lubea, 
in  which  numerous  remains  of  extinct  animals, 
including  Ursus  Ligusticus  and  Felis  antiqua, 
have  been  discovered  ;  and  near  the  neigh- 
bouring mountain  village  of  Balestrino  is  the 
Grotto  della  Taragnina.  Further  along  the 
coast,  about  a  mile  to  the  north  of  Pietra 
Ligure,  and  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Paremola 
torrent,  you  will  find  the  small  but  interesting 
Cavern  of  Ponte  Vara,  which  is  supposed, 
owing  to  the  extraordinary  accumulation  of 
human  bones  and  fragments  of  Roman 
amphorae  found  there,  to  have  been  an 
ancient  Celt o-Ligurian  cemetery .  We  decided, 
however,  that  it  was  better  not  to  visit  this, 
but  to  push  forward  on  our  journey  along 
the  coast  road.  We  knew  that  we  should 
soon  come,  within  a  stone's  throw  of  the  sea, 
to  one  of  the  most  important  of  the  caverns 
of  Liguria,  the  celebrated  Caverna  delle 
Arene  Candide,  between  Borgio  and  Final- 
marina,  and  that  whilst  in  our  new  district 
we  should  have  an  opportunity  of  visiting 
no  fewer  than  eight  others.  ^ 

*  These  are  the  Caverna  di  Pollera,  situated  near  the 
source  of  a  Uttle  torrent  called  La  Valle,  an  affluent  of  the 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Finalmarina  151 


There  is  no  mistaking  the  place  called  the 
White  Arenas.  It  is  the  natural  curiosity 
which  first  strikes  the  eye  of  the  traveller  as 
he  comes  within  sight  of  the  Caprazoppa,  that 
high,  rocky  promontory  which  encloses  the 
western  side  of  the  Bay  of  Finalmarina,  and 
through  which  the  Cornice  road,  by  means  of 
a  long  gallery,  passes.  The  steep  slope  of 
the  hill  is  covered,  up  to  a  fairly  high  level, 
with  fine  white  sand,  which,  blown  there  by 
southern  winds  from  the  neighbouring  beach, 
has  accumulated  in  the  manner  of  drifted 
snow    and   formed  a  sort  of  huge  white 

Aquila  ;  the  Caverna  del  Rio,  on  the  right  bank  of  La  Valle, 
near  Montesordo  ;  the  Caverna  di  Martino,  near  the  pre- 
ceding grotto  ;  the  Caverna  del  Sanguineto,  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Aquila,  in  the  district  of  Perti,  above  Final- 
borgo  ;  the  Caverna  della  Rocca  di  Perti,  in  the  same 
region  ;  the  Caverna  dei  Zerbi,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Aquila, 
opposite  Sanguineto  ;  the  Caverna  delle  Fate,  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Rio  de  Ponci,  opposite  the  Roman  bridge  of 
Verzi ;  and  the  Caverna  di  Verezzi,  a  few  hundred  yards  to 
the  east  of  the  Borgio- Verezzi  railway  station. 

The  discoveries  that  have  been  made  in  these  caverns 
consist  of  human  bones,  and  in  some  cases  entire  skeletons  ; 
the  bones  of  animals,  such  as  bears,  wild  boars,  and  wolves  ; 
flint  and  bronze  implements  ;  fragments  of  pottery  ;  pierced 
shells  and  other  ornaments  ;  and  a  large  number  of  other 
articles  used  by  prehistoric  man.  Specimens  of  these  are 
to  be  seen  in  the  Geological  Museum,  1,  Via  S.  Agnese,  at 
Genoa,  and  readers  who  would  obtain  further  particulars 
about  them  may  be  referred  to  the  exhaustive  studies  of 
Professor  A.  Issel,  Don  N.  Morelli,  and  Bensa. 


152  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


amphitheatre.  A  little  above  these  Arene 
Candide,  at  a  height  of  eighty-nine  metres 
above  sea-level,  is  the  cave  which  has  taken 
their  name.  Its  shape  is  irregular  :  seventy 
metres  at  its  greatest  length,  fifteen  metres 
in  breadth,  and  a  little  less  than  five  metres 
in  height — and  it  has  three  openings,  by  one 
of  which  entrance  is  easy.  Here,  as  in  another 
of  the  caves  of  Finalmarina,  the  Caverna  di 
Pollera,  a  large  number  of  tombs,  containing 
human  bones,  and  in  some  cases  entire  skele- 
tons, were  found  ;  consequently  it  may  be 
regarded  as  an  admirable  type  of  the  burying- 
places  of  the  ancient  Ligurians.  But  other 
discoveries  show  that  it  was  something  more 
than  this  :  it  was  one  of  their  places  of 
habitation,  though  probably  during  only 
certain  periods  of  the  year.  A  passage  in  the 
writings  of  Diodorus  Siculus,  referring  to  the 
Ligurians  of  his  day  (the  1st  century  B.C.), 
shows  that  the  practice  of  living  in  caves 
survived  in  this  part  of  Italy  until  com- 
paratively recent  times.  At  night  they  sleep 
in  the  country,"  he  writes,  and  rarely  in  their 
wretched  hovels  or  small  huts,  but  generally  in 
those  caverns,  formed  by  Nature,  which  offer 
a  convenient  shelter.**  In  the  Caverna  deUe 
Arene  Candide,  then,  prehistoric  man  found 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Finalmarina  153 


protection  against  both  the  inclemency  of 
the  weather  and  his  enemies.  There — and 
the  things  he  left  behind  him  prove  it — he 
slept  and  ate  ;  there  he  decorated  his  body 
with  red  or  yellow  ochre,  or  prepared  the 
teeth  of  wild  boars  and  wolves  to  serve  as 
ornaments  ;  there  he  made  ready  his  stone, 
and  later  his  bronze,  weapons  for  war  on  man 
or  animal ;  and  there  he  died — if  he  did  not 
die  on  the  battlefield  or  in  the  forest —  and  was 
buried.  The  story  of  almost  his  entire  life 
can  be  read  in  the  discoveries  of  those  who 
have  searched  the  caverns  of  Finalmarina. 
As  regards  his  physique,  the  picture  which 
the  skeletons  of  the  Arene  Candide  and 
PoUera  caves  reveal  is  a  particularly  clear 
one.  In  stature,  he  was  a  little  below  the 
average,  but  well  proportioned  and  extremely 
muscular.  His  feet  and  legs  were  those  of 
one  accustomed  to  much  walking  and  climbing. 
His  skull  presented  the  well-known  character- 
istics of  primitive  man  :  the  low  forehead, 
the  long  jaw-bones,  the  prominent  chin  and 
deep-sunk  eyes.  He  was,  in  fact,  the  sum 
total  of  strength  and  savage  energy  ;  and  it 
requires  no  great  effort  of  the  imagination  to 
place  him  once  more — with  his  long  hair 
falling  over  his  shoulders,  his  muscular  body 


154  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


painted  and  clothed  with  skins,  and  his  hand 
ever  armed  and  ready  to  strike — among  his 
native  hills. 

Notwithstanding  the  defects  of  Finalmarina 
from  the  point  of  view  of  those  who  seek  a 
sheltered  winter  resort  (it  is  not  very  well 
protected  from  the  north  winds,  and  there 
is  a  saying  that  it  is  always  either  blowing  or 
raining  at  Finalmarina),  it  is  one  of  the  places 
to  which  I  look  back  with  the  keenest  pleasure. 
It  is  a  happy  combination  of  the  picturesque 
and  the  romantic  ;  a  spot  full  of  charm  to 
the  artist,  and  a  great  quickener  of  the 
imagination  in  the  case  of  the  lover  of  history. 

Down  on  the  beach,  facing  the  long  line  of 
houses  which  form  the  little  ciUdy  and  in  the 
immediate  neighbourhood  of  the  town,  the 
views  and  scenes  that  are  worthy  of  being 
depicted  are  numerous.  The  fishing-boats 
are  drawn  up  high  on  to  the  sands  ;  nets  are 
stretched  out  in  the  sun  to  dry  ;  and  the 
fisher-folk  are  ever  occupied  with  the  work 
of  the  day  :  the  mending  or  dyeing  of  the 
nets,  or  else  the  pulling  of  them  in  from  the 
shore.  What  a  picture  they  form,  these 
sturdy  men,  women,  and  girls,  as  they  toil 
like  beasts  of  burden  at  the  two  long  ropes 
attached  to  the  bag-net  far  out  at  sea  I  In 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Finalmarina  155 


the  light  of  the  setting  sun,  their  bronzed 
faces  and  naked  legs  are  the  colour  of  gold. 
And  how  fine,  too,  is  the  colour  of  the  women's 
gowns :  their  faded  reds  and  blues,  and 
that  of  the  men's  primitive  garments,  which, 
through  long  exposure  to  salt  water  and 
the  sun,  display  every  shade  of  brown  !  To 
see  these  honest  workers  digging  their  heels 
into  the  sand  and  straining  at  the  wet  ropes 
— to  perceive  the  look  of  hope  in  their  faces 
as  the  net  gets  ever  nearer  and  nearer — to 
look  on  whilst  the  glittering  catch  is  landed 
and  sorted,  is  one  of  the  sights  of  Final- 
marina. Then  there  are  the  sunsets — glorious 
pageants  of  colour — almost  every  evening, 
over  the  Camprazoppa,  and  the  dark,  distant 
hills  of  the  coast  line,  jutting  out  into  the  sea  ; 
and  merely  to  be  able  to  sit  on  the  sands 
of  Finalmarina  and  watch  these  ever-changing 
sky-effects  is  worth  a  visit  there. 

Historically,  the  district  is  as  full  of  stirring 
memories  as  any  in  Liguria.  In  the  Middle 
Ages  it  was  under  the  rule  of  the  powerful 
Del  Carretto  family  ;  in  the  fifteenth  century 
the  scene  of  a  sanguinary  contest  between 
the  Del  Carrettos  and  the  RepubHc  of  Genoa  ; 
in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  in 
the  possession  of  Spain  ;  and  in  the  eighteenth 


156  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


century  alternately  under  the  dominion  of 
Genoa  and  Austria.  Many  ancient  monu- 
ments are  still  standing  to  aid  you  in  your 
dreaming  over  the  romance  of  these  various 
periods.  Facing  the  beach  is  a  fine  Spanish 
triumphal  arch  ;  to  the  east  of  the  town, 
high  above  the  road,  is  the  picturesque  Fort 
of  Castelfranco  (now  a  prison)  which  the 
Commune  of  Genoa  built  in  1365  to  secure 
the  possession  of  a  portion  of  territory 
wrested  from  one  of  the  Del  Carrettos  ;  and 
a  mile  to  the  north  lies  Finalborgo,  which, 
older  than  either  Finalmarina^  or  Finalpia, 
the  other  components  of  the  ancient  Finaro 
district,  has  retained  a  portion  of  its  old 
wall  and  two  of  its  gates,  dating  from  1452. 
Mediaevalism  is  stamped  very  plainly  on  the 
walls  and  streets  of  Finalborgo,  and  this  is 

^  The  most  noteworthy  of  the  other  buildings  of  Final- 
marina  is  the  Church  of  San  Giovanni  Battista,  erected  in 
accordance  with  the  plans  of  the  great  Florentine  architect 
Lorenzo  Bernini.  Its  fa9ade  is,  perhaps,  a  little  too  ornate 
to  suit  all  tastes,  but  there  is  no  denying  the  majesty  of 
its  interior,  with  its  massive  square  marble  columns,  inlaid 
with  reddish  marble,  and  its  round  pillars  arranged  in  pairs. 
The  fine  painted  dome,  with  stained-glass  windows,  the 
inlaid  marble  work  of  the  pulpit,  which  is  further  orna- 
mented with  delicately  carved  figures  in  marble,  and  that  of 
the  altars  of  the  chapels  at  the  upper  part  of  the  building 
also  call  for  special  attention.  The  paintings  on  the  ceilings 
and  walls,  and  the  white  and  red  marbles  form  a  very 
harmonious  combination  of  colour. 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Finalmarina  157 


still  further  emphasised  by  the  presence  on 
a  neighbouring  hill  commanding  the  town 
and  the  valley,  of  the  twelfth  century  Castel 
Gavone,  that  magnificent  structure  with  a 
tower  of  faceted  stone  which  has  been  well 
compared  to  a  vulture,  perched  on  a  lofty 
crag,  in  the  act  of  searching  the  surrounding 
country  and  meditating  in  which  direction 
to  fly  and  dart  upon  its  prey." 

A  visit  to  Castel  Gavone  and  meditation 
among  its  ruins  is  indispensable  if  you  would 
thoroughly  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the  Middle 
Ages,  and  rightly  understand  the  story  of 
the  ancient  Mar quisate  of  Finaro.  You  reach 
the  castle  by  way  of  a  broad  mule-path,  known 
as  the  Strada  Beretta,  which  zig-zags  up  the 
mountain  side  towards  the  seventeenth 
century  Fort  of  San  Giovanni,  and  passes, 
just  before  you  arrive  at  that  building,  now 
used  as  a  prison,  under  an  arched  gateway 
dated  1666.  The  road  mounts  to  the  crest 
of  a  rocky  hill,  covered  with  stunted  trees 
and  bushes,  where  the  bird-catchers  of  Final- 
borgo  place  their  cages,  containing  decoy- 
birds,  and,  having  limed  the  surrounding 
twigs,  lie  in  wait  to  pounce  upon  their 
feathered  victims.  Many  a  morning  and 
afternoon,  whilst  the  Antiquary  was  away  on 


158  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


his  professional  expeditions,  have  I,  too,  sat 
there,  looking  down  on  Finalborgo  and  thinking 
of  that  other  more  vital  war,  in  which  for 
three  long  months  the  troops  of  the  Republic 
of  Genoa  fought  against  the  defenders  of 
Castel  Gavone  and  waited  for  their  opportunity 
to  enter  the  castle,  which  they  only  succeeded 
in  doing  thanks  to  the  treason  of  the  Marquis 
Galeotto  Del  Carre tto's  favourite  Giacome 
Pico.  On  those  occasions,  in  lieu  of  my  old 
friend,  my  companion  was  Anton  Giulio 
Barrili's^  Castel  Gavone^  a  story  in  which 
history  and  romance  have  been  very  nicely 
blended,  and  which  should  be  read  by 
every  one  who  goes  to  Finalmarina. 

Up  to  the  year  1100  the  district  which 
formed  the  Marquisate  of  Finaro  was  included 
in  that  of  Savona,  and  was  a  portion  of  the 
patrimony  of  Aleramus,  that  soldier  of  fortune 
of  obscure  birth  (or  was  he  the  son  of  Count 
Guillaume  of  France,  as  is  claimed  by  history  ?) 

1  This  excellent  writer  was  born  at  Savona  on  December 
14th,  1836.  He  was  educated  in  his  native  town  and  in 
Genoa  ;  entered  journalism  in  the  latter  city,  and  took  an 
active  part,  in  his  early  manhood,  in  the  struggle  for  the 
independence  of  Italy.  His  experiences  during  the  Mentana 
Campaign  are  related  in  a  volume  entitled  Con  Garibaldi 
alle  porte  di  Roma.  On  returning  to  journalism,  he  wrote 
for  //  Movimento  for  sixteen  years  and  then,  in  1876, 
founded  the  Genoa  newspaper  //  Caffaro.  Meanwhile 
he  had  written  his  first  novels,  Capitan  Dodero,  Santa 


Castel  Gavone 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Finalmarina  159 


who  married  Adelasia,  the  daughter  of  the 
Emperor  Ottone  I.  Two  powerful  famiHes 
sprang  from  Aleramus'  descendants  :  the 
Marquisses  of  Montferrato,  who  belonged  to 
the  elder  branch,  and  the  Del  Carrettos,  who 
became  the  Marquisses  of  Savona  and  other 
places,  including  Finaro. 

Castel  Gavone  was  built  about  1181  by 
Enrico  Del  Carretto  II  and  was  strengthened 
in  1292  by  the  Marquis  Antonio.  It  was  at 
once  a  stronghold  and  a  residence — one  of  a 
number  of  defences  which  the  Del  Carrettos 
raised  against  their  many  enemies  and  the 
seat  of  their  Court.  A  stronger  position  than 
that  of  a  buttress  of  the  Rocca  di  Perti,  on 
which  it  is  placed,  could  not  have  been  found 
in  the  entire  district.  From  the  consider- 
able height  at  which  it  stood,*'  says  Barrili, 
"  the  feudal  rampart  of  the  Del  Carrettos 
commanded  a  view  of  the  town  and  the  entire 
course  of  the  Porra  as  far  as  the  sea  shore. 

Cecilia,  I  Rossi  e  Neri,  Le  Confessioni  di  Fra  Gualberto, 
and  Val  d'Olivi.  His  romances,  which  became  very  popular 
and  some  of  which  are  still  much  read,  number  no  fewer 
than  sixty.  An  extremely  prolific  writer,  he  also  published 
a  large  number  of  works  of  history  and  literary  criticism, 
several  volumes  of  speeches,  and  three  plays.  He  was  for 
many  years  a  Professor  of  Literature  at  the  University  of 
Genoa,  its  Dean  for  five  years  and  its  Rettor  Magnifico  for 
two.    He  died  on  August  15th,  1908. 


160  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


In  addition,  it  looked  out,  on  either  side,  on 
to  the  two  valleys  of  the  Calice  and  the 
Aquila,  the  former  leading  to  Rialto  and  the 
latter  to  San  Giacomo.  It  was,  for  those 
days,  very  strongly  fortified.  Its  corners 
were  provided  with  four  embattled  towers. 
Along  the  walls  were  broad  windows,  divided 
by  small  columns,  an  indication  of  the 
luxury  of  the  interior ;  but  above  these 
windows  ran  a  heavy  stone  cornice,  and  a 
little  higher  than  this  a  long  balcony  with 
embrasures,  whence,  on  occasion,  a  shower 
of  stones  could  be  hurled  down  on  the  enemy 
who  had  been  daring  enough  to  approach  the 
base  of  the  walls.*'  It  was  further  protected 
— in  the  front  and  to  the  rear — by  two  deep 
moats,  one  of  which  was  crossed  by  a  draw- 
bridge, leading  to  the  main  entrance,  above 
which  were  the  sculptured  arms  of  the  Del 
Carrettos — a  shield,  divided  diagonally,  sur- 
mounted by  a  helmet  and  drawn  on  a  sym- 
boUcal  chariot  by  two  yoked  lions. 

During  the  Middle  Ages  Castle  Gavone  was, 
in  fact,  regarded  as  impregnable.  Yet  the 
ambitious  RepubHc  of  Genoa  decided  to 
attempt  to  take  it,  and  in  1448,  in  the  days 
of  the  Marquis  Biagio  Galeotto  Del  Carretto, 
sent  an  army  of  more  than  fifteen  thousand 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Finalmarina  161 


men,  mostly  arbalesters,  to  lay  siege  to  the 
castle. 

The  quarrel  between  Genoa  and  the  Del 
Carrettos  was  of  long  standing.    The  latter 
were  the  sole  remaining  representatives  on 
the  western  Riviera  of  feudalism,  and  the 
Republic,  which  was  constantly  aiming  at 
the  sovereignty  of  the  whole  of  Liguria, 
naturally  looked  on  them  with  no  kindly 
eye.    The  Marquisses  of  Finaro,  on  the  other 
hand,  showed  no  disposition  to  be  friendly 
towards  Genoa  ;  and  whenever  it  was  in  diffi- 
culties, did  everything  in  their  power  to 
increase  them.    A  secret  attempt  was  made  to 
bring  about  peace  by  a  marriage  between  one 
of  the  Doges  of  Genoa  and  Galeotto's  beautiful 
daughter  Nicolosina,  but  the  offer  was  dis- 
dainfully refused  by  the  Marquis  Del  Carretto, 
and   open    war    quickly   broke    out.  The 
Genoese  troops  were  under  the  command  of 
Pietro  Fregoso,  a  soldier  of  great  experience, 
and  the  advance  guard  came  within  sight 
of  Finaro  on  the  5th  of  December,  1448. 
Besieging  Finalborgo,  they  set  to  work  to 
bombard  the  town,  and  for  many  weeks  the  air 
resounded  with  the  battle  cries  of  "  St.  George 
and  Fregoso  !  "  and     St.  George  and  Car- 
retto !  "    It  soon  became  evident,  however, 

II — (2230) 


162  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


that,  as  regards  Castel  Gavone,  there  was  no 
hope  of  taking  it  except  by  a  night  surprise, 
and  only  then  by  the  aid  of  a  traitor.  Pietro 
Fregoso  found  the  man  he  wanted  in  a 
certain  Giacomo  Pico,  the  Marquis  Galeotto's 
favourite,  who  had  been  taken  prisoner,  and 
who,  probably  for  money,  though  Barrili 
makes  him  betray  his  master  owing  to  a 
desire  to  be  revenged  for  the  loss  of  Nicolo- 
sinod^  whom  he  had  secretly  sought  in 
marriage,  consented  to  indicate  the  pathway 
by  which  the  enemy  might  reach  the  castle 
without  being  detected.  The  attack  was 
made  by  Giovanni  di  Trezzo  and  three 
hundred  soldiers,  divided  into  ten  detach- 
ments and  accompanied  by  Giacomo  Pico, 
on  a  dark,  windy  night  in  February,  1449. 
It  was  successful  except  in  one  particular— 
Galeotto  Del  Carretto  escaped  down  the 
castle  walls  and,  though  wounded,  succeeded 
in  reaching  Millesimo,  whence  he  proceeded 
into  France.  Finalborgo  was  not  subdued 
until  the  8th  of  March,  and  on  the  20th  of 
the  same  month,  according  to  the  chronicler 
Mario  Filelfo,  the  town  was  consigned  to 
the  flames  and  the  castle  dismantled ;  a 
statement  which  Barrili  rightly  warns  us 
against  accepting  literally,  since  the  beautiful 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Finalmarina  163 


tower  of  San  Biagio/  the  church  of  Santa 
Catterina,  with  the  Dominican  Convent,  and 
other  buildings  of  the  Middle  Ages,  are  still 
standing. 

Galeotto  Del  Carretto— whom  Barrili  des- 
cribes as  a  man  of  about  fifty  years  of  age,  with 
a  fresh  complexion,  light  hair  and  beard,  and 
blue,  sparkling  eyes,  a  man  pleasing  in 
appearance  and  courteous  in  manner — took 
part  in  the  wars  of  France,  and  during  a 
naval  engagement  off  the  coast  of  Brittany, 
received  a  wound  from  which  he  died.  ^  He 

^  This  church  contains  a  very  beautiful  white  marble 
pulpit,  inlaid,  at  its  upper  part,  with  red.  The  design  is 
extremely  charming.  The  pulpit  is  supported  by  a  single, 
irregular  block  of  marble,  carved  to  represent  the  heads  of 
cherubs  and  clouds,  which  are  being  blown  upwards  by  the 
mouths  of  these  cupids.  Above  are  larger  masses  of  clouds 
and  the  figure  of  a  cherub  with  outstretched  arms  resting 
on  wheels,  which  are  supported  on  the  left  by  a  winged 
lion,  and  on  the  right  by  a  winged  ox.  An  eagle  with 
extended  wings  is  represented  on  the  right.  Clouds  and 
cupids'  heads  also  enter  into  the  design  of  the  front  panel 
of  the  pulpit,  whilst  the  panels  on  the  right  and  left  are 
inlaid  with  red  marble. 

The  white  marble  altar-rails  are  also  noteworthy.  Figures 
of  angels  on  the  right  and  left  are  supporting  what  at  first 
sight  appears  to  be  a  lace-edged  communion-cloth,  but 
which,  on  approaching,  turns  out  to  be  marble. 

2  Galeotto  Del  Carretto  was  buried  in  the  Dominican 
Church  at  Finalborgo,  and  his  tomb,  erected  in  1449,  bears 
an  epitaph  in  Latin  describing  the  manner  of  his  death. 
This  church  and  convent,  dedicated  to  Santa  Caterina, 
were  founded  in  1330  by  Giorgio  Del  Carretto. 


164   Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


was  succeeded  by  his  brother  Giovanni,  who, 
smarting  under  the  recollection  of  the  victory 
of  the  Genoese  and  his  imprisonment  in 
Genoa,  devoted  himself  to  the  work  of 
regaining  the  family  possessions.  Aided  by 
French  troops,  he  attained  his  object.  The 
Genoese  were  driven  out  of  Finaro,  the  Borgo 
was  rebuilt,  and  Castel  Gavone  was  once 
more  made  into  a  splendid  residence  and 
stronghold.  This  was  in  1452.  Genoa  being 
then  too  disturbed  by  factions  to  think  of 
other  matters,  the  Del  Carrettos  were  left  to 
enjoy  their  rights  until  1568,  when  the  last 
of  the  Marquisses,  Alfonso  II,  whose  liber- 
tinism became  proverbial,  was  driven  from 
his  States  by  the  incensed  inhabitants. 

Three  years  later  Finaro  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Spain,  which,  being  in  the  possession 
of  the  State  of  Milan,  had  particular  need  of 
a  port  such  as  Finalmarina,  for  the  disem- 
barkment  of  her  troops,  and  of  a  convenient 
road  for  their  passage  northwards.  The 
Spanish  domination  lasted  for  more  than  a 
century  and  a  half,  and  was  one  of  the  most 
prosperous  periods  in  the  history  of  Finaro. 
Large  sums  of  money  were  spent  in  the 
building  of  new  fortifications  and  in  the 
strengthening  of  old  ones,  the  Finalese  were 


Along  the  Coast  :  to  Finalmarina  165 


granted  the  privilege  of  free  navigation  in 
the  ports  of  Spain  and  India,  commerce  and 
industry  flourished,  and  the  district  became 
one  of  the  most  prosperous  in  Liguria. 

But  in  1713  this  period  of  prosperity  came 
to  an  end.  Charles  VI  sold  the  Marquisate 
of  Finaro  to  the  Republic  of  Genoa  for  six 
million  lire,  and  La  Superba  at  once  began 
her  work  of  destruction.  Once  more  was 
Castel  Gavone  dismantled,  and  of  the  seven 
castles  of  the  district,  only  two  were  left 
intact  :  Castelfranco  at  Finalmarina,  and 
the  Fort  of  San  Giovanni  above  Finalborgo. 

Some  very  fine  scenery  is  to  be  found  in 
the  valleys  north  of  Finalborgo.  A  good  idea 
of  its  character  will  be  obtained  whilst  on 
excursions  to  some  of  the  caves,  but  to 
appreciate  it  fully  you  must  go  further 
afield  and  make  a  journey  to  Calizzano  over 
the  CoUe  di  Melogno.  Seventeen  kilometres 
separate  Finalmarina  from  the  Colle,  and 
after  leaving  Finalborgo  you  are  mounting 
every  foot  of  the  way  until  you  reach  an 
altitude  of  over  a  thousand  metres.  When 
you  have  passed  out  of  sight  of  Castel  Gavone, 
proudly  perched  on  the  opposite  hillside,  and 
have  traversed  the  little  village  of  Gorra, 
which  stands  on  a  hill  between  the  Borgio 


166  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


and  Finaro  valleys,  the  road  winds  along  the 
western  slope  of  the  mountain,  amidst  chest- 
nut and  hazel-nut  trees,  and  with  green 
pastures  and  heath-covered  expanses  both 
above  and  below.  Small  brown  mountain 
cattle  and  goats,  tended  by  young  shepherds 
and  shepherdesses,  feed  here  and  there  on 
the  slopes  ;  but  with  the  exception  of  these 
and  an  occasional  bullock-wagon,  leisurely 
travelling  along  the  steep,  white  road,  there 
is  nothing  to  disturb  the  glorious  silence 
which  reigns  over  Nature.  Northwards  the 
landscape  is  wild  and  mountainous.  The 
long,  rocky  back  of  Monte  Settepani,  which 
has  an  altitude  of  1391  metres,  comes  within 
sight  ;  in  colour  a  rich  purple,  and  with  the 
shadows  of  clouds  intersecting  its  craggy, 
beech-tree  covered  sides.  Looking  south- 
wards you  see  the  valleys  running  down  to 
the  coast,  hamlets  and  isolated  houses  nestling 
in  the  ridges  and  dimples  of  the  earth,  hills 
that  separate  one  valley  from  another  ;  and 
between  them,  far  in  the  distance,  the  sea, 
with  the  Isle  of  Gallinaria  faintly  visible  to 
the  right.  At  the  Colle  di  Melogno  stand 
the  military  fortifications  known  as  the  Forte 
Centrale.  The  fort,  a  strong  quadrilateral 
building  of  stone,  covered  with  grass-grown 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Finalmarina  167 


earth  and  surrounded  by  a  dry  moat,  is  con- 
structed over  the  road,  and  both  on  entering 
and  on  leaving  it  you  pass  over  drawbridges. 
Once  you  are  over  the  Colle,  the  road  begins 
to  descend  with  great  rapidity  towards 
CaHzzano,  which  lies  eight  kilometres  away, 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Bormida,  at  a  height 
of  637  metres  above  sea  level.  The  change 
in  the  character  of  the  landscape  now  becomes 
very  marked.  The  valley,  along  one  side  of 
which  the  road  twists  and  turns,  is  narrow 
and  precipitous,  and  is  thickly  covered  with 
beech  trees,  oaks,  and  chestnuts.  Ferns 
grow  in  great  profusion  on  the  grassy  slopes 
under  the  trees,  and  among  the  rocks  on  the 
right ;  and  their  varied  greens  add  greatly  to 
the  magnificent  harmony  of  colour  which 
seemed  to  us  to  be  one  of  the  most  noticeable 
features  of  this  mountain  road.  At  the  time 
we  followed  the  course  of  the  little  babbling 
torrent,  merrily  turning  many  a  saw-mill  on 
its  way  down  to  Calizzano,  the  leaves  of  the 
trees  had  taken  on  their  autumn  tints  ;  the 
white  road  was  strewn  with  them ;  and 
through  a  screen  of  foliage  of  the  richest  and 
most  varied  browns,  russets,  and  orange 
could  be  seen  a  background  of  purple  hills, 
rising  into  a  blue  sky  flecked  with  the  most 


168  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


delicate  of  white  clouds.  Though  this  stretch 
of  road  is  not  a  long  one,  it  takes  you  through 
unforgettable  scenery.  After  a  few  miles  the 
valley  widens  out,  and  then,  reaching  the 
plain  of  the  Bormida  torrent,  you  come  to 
little  Calizzano,  surrounded  by  its  fertile 
pastures,  which  were  purple,  when  we  first 
saw  them,  with  Meadow  Saffron. 

Calizzano — known  in  ancient  days  as 
Calitianum,  Calixanum,  or  Castrum  Calixani 
— is  a  very  old  town.  But,  apart  from  the 
ruins  of  its  castle,  which  stand  on  a  chestnut- 
covered  hill  above  the  houses,  there  is  little 
to  prove  its  antiquity.  It  was  formerly 
surrounded  by  a  wall,  provided  with  strong 
gates,  and  the  castle,  which  was  almost 
entirely  destroyed  by  the  French  in  1500,  was 
supplied  with  towers  of  great  height  and 
strength.  The  town  and  district  were  in  the 
possession,  in  1142,  of  Enrico,  the  son  of 
Bonifacio,  Marquis  of  Savona  and  Vasto ; 
and  they  then  passed  to  the  Del  Carrettos, 
whose  reign  came  to  an  end  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  as  in  the  case  of  Finaro,  with  the 
arrogant  and  licentious  Alfonso  II.  Calizzano 
was  added,  in  1613,  to  the  possessions  of 
Genoa,  and  the  part  which  it  played  in  the 
turbulent  days  of  the  history  of  Liguria  may 


A  Wayside  Church,  in  the  Arroscia  Valley 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Finalmarina  169 


then  be  said  to  have  ended.  One  more  item 
from  its  chronicles  is,  however,  worthy  of 
being  recorded.  It  was  the  birthplace,  in 
1815,  of  Monsignor  Andrea  Ighina,  domestic 
prelate  to  His  Holiness  the  Pope,  and  a  friend 
of  Silvio  Pellico. 


Church  and  part  of  the  old  wall,  Finalborgo 


The  Arcades  of  Noli 

CHAPTER  VIII 


ALONG  THE  COAST  I    TO  GENOA 

To  save  time  and  avoid  useless  fatigue,  we 
returned  to  Finalmarina  by  the  shaky, 
rumbling  diligenza,  which  daily  makes  the 
journey  to  and  from  Calizzano.  It  was  the 
first  occasion,  since  setting  out  from  Venti- 
miglia,  that  we  had  broken  our  resolution  to 
travel  without  the  aid  of  vehicles  of  whatso- 
ever kind  they  might  be.  But  our  excuse 
was  a  valid  one,  and,  as  it  turned  out,  we 
profited  by  the  change. 

For  one  thing,  there  were  signs  that  the 
district    intended    to    keep    up    its  bad 

170 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa 


171 


reputation.  The  sky  was  no  longer  so  serenely 
fine  as  when  we  travelled  up  the  valley  ;  black 
clouds  overhung  the  mountains  ;  and  after 
we  had  once  more  passed  over  the  Colle  di 
Melogno,  the  coming  of  a  storm  was  announced 
by  big  drops  of  rain.  We  were  glad,  therefore, 
to  have  an  assured  shelter  up  to  the  very 
door  of  our  albergo  ;  and  to  be  able  to  enjoy 
it,  moreover,  in  company  that  accorded 
fairly  well  with  the  mental  attitude  into 
which  we  had  fallen — the  mental  attitude  of 
the  true  wayfarer,  who  is  interested  in  all 
men  and  in  all  things.  Our  companions 
were  a  Capuchin  monk  and  a  peasant  sports- 
man :  the  former  travelling  on  I  know  not 
what  mission,  the  latter  returning  to  Gorra 
after  a  day's  shooting  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  Osteria  di  Melogno. 

There  is  nothing  to  equal  an  Italian 
diligenza,  with  its  scant  accommodation  and 
its  trick  of  throwing  its  passengers  into  each 
other's  arms,  in  the  rapid  formation  of 
friendships.  The  most  reserved  of  men  would 
be  forced  by  its  rolling  and  pitching  to  unbend. 
But  in  our  case  there  was  never  need  of  any 
such  aids  as  these  ;  and  so,  no  sooner  were 
we  together  than  conversation  began.  The 
Capuchin  produced  his  silver  snuff-box  from 


172  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


a  pocket  inside  the  ample  sleeve  of  his  gown 
— a  pocket  in  which  he  also  kept  his  breviary 
— smilingly  and  courteously  presented  it,  with 
open  lid,  to  each  of  the  company,  and,  having 
taken  a  pinch  himself,  entered  into  converse 
with  the  Antiquary  on  matters  relating  to 
church  history  and  ecclesiastical  art.  The 
sportsman  and  I  naturally  talked  on  the 
subject  of  sport,  and  I  soon  learnt  that  he 
considered  he  had  had  an  excellent  day's 
shooting.  But  j  adge  of  my  surprise — though 
I  did  not  show  it — when  he  told  me  that  his 
bag  consisted  of  a  jay  and  two  linnets,  which 
he  proudly  drew  from  the  pocket  of  his 
brown  canvas  shooting-coat  !  He  assured 
me  that  his  wife  and  the  piccini  would  be 
very  well  satisfied — as  he  was — and,  at  this 
point,  thinking  of  the  huge  dish  of  rice  and 
oil  in  which  his  birds  would  be  cooked,  he 
smacked  his  lips. 

An  Italian  peasant's  idea  of  a  good  day's 
sport  is  decidedly  rudimentary.  He  will 
expend  a  cartridge  on  the  smallest  of  the 
feathered  beasts  of  the  field,  and  this  is 
undoubtedly  one  of  the  causes  of  that  marked 
and  deplorable  absence  of  bird  hfe  which 
one  notices  in  so  many  parts  of  the  country. 
In  Italy  bird  catchers  are  allowed  a  very  free 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa 


173 


hand  in  satisfying  the  barbarous  tastes  of 
those  who  eat  larks  and  other  small  songsters  ; 
while  such  sportsmen "  as  my  travelHng 
companion  are  at  liberty  to  spend  their 
Sundays  helping  in  the  extermination  of  those 
lovely  coloured  birds  whose  flight  from  tree 
to  tree  is  witnessed  with  so  much  delight  by 
the  naturalist  and  rambler.  One  has  only 
to  walk  through  any  Italian  market,  where 
long  strings  of  larks  and  linnets  are  invari- 
ably hanging  up  for  sale,  to  be  convinced  of 
the  ruthless  war  which  is  waged  on  the 
birds  of  Italy. 

The  storm  being  only  a  passing  one,  and 
principally  confined  to  the  mountains,  we 
were  able,  the  next  morning,  to  continue  on  our 
journey  along  the  coast  without  any  fear  of 
an  unpleasant  soaking. 

Just  after  leaving  Finalmarina,  we  came  to 
Finalpia,  the  smallest  of  the  three  districts  of 
which  the  Marquisate  of  Finaro  was  com- 
posed. The  village  is  noted  for  its  ancient 
church.  A  Pope,  an  Emperor,  Empresses, 
Queens,  and  Princes  have  worshipped  there, 
and  the  memorable  visits  of  the  first  two  are 
recorded  by  rather  good  modern  paintings 
on  each  side  of  the  altar.  That  on  the  left 
represents  the  visit  of  Clement  VII  ;  the 


174  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


one  on  the  right  that  of  Charles  V.  Another 
picture^  but  a  mental  one,  came  before  our 
eyes  as  we  entered  this  Church  of  Santa 
Maria,  a  vision  of  the  dissolute  Alfonso  II, 
Marquis  of  Finaro,  riding  in  on  horseback, 
accompanied  by  his  courtiers,  and,  loudly 
laughing  and  disdainful  of  all  religious  laws, 
slaking  his  horse's  thirst  at  the  holy  water 
font.  This  was  one  of  the  acts  in  his  irregular 
Hfe  which  most  revolted  his  religious-minded 
subjects  :  the  one,  it  may  be,  which  made 
them  determined  to  have  done  with  him  for 
ever. 

A  little  beyond  this  church  the  road  crosses 
the  railway  line  and  then  passes,  by  means  of 
a  short  tunnel,  similar  to  the  one  which 
traverses  the  Caprazoppa,  through  a  promon- 
tory on  which  formerly  stood  the  Castle 
of  Pia,  now  transformed  into  a  comfortable 
villa.  Between  a  sandy  beach  and  high 
crags,  in  which  white-throated  martins  build 
their  nests,  it  continues  towards  Capo  di  San 
Donato,  winds  round  this  rocky  headland,  on 
whose  summit  stand  the  ruins  of  an  ancient 
tower,  and  proceeds  along  the  shore  in  the 
direction  of  Varigotti,  Capo  Noli,  and  Noli. 

The  picturesque  white  walls  and  the  small, 
square,  unglazed  windows  of  the  fiat-topped 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa 


175 


houses  of  Varigotti,  strangely  resembling 
those  of  a  Barbary  village,  tempted  us  to 
leave  the  road  and  climb  the  wooded  heights 
on  which  this  former  Pirates'  Nest  — as  it 
has  been  called — is  situated.  We  found,  on 
reaching  its  stony,  tortuous  streets,  that  it 
was  almost  deserted.  Half-a-dozen  inhabit- 
ants, at  the  most,  make  up  its  population, 
and  nearly  all  of  these  are  old  people.  One  of 
them,  a  woman  with  short-cropped  hair,  sat 
motionless  on  the  doorstep  of  a  ruined  house, 
and  made  no  reply,  nor  gave  any  sign  of 
possessing  human  intelligence,  when  we  asked 
to  be  directed  along  the  crumbling  galleries 
which  wind  beneath  or  alongside  the  cluster 
of  deserted  cottages.  She  might  have  been 
a  figure  in  stone,  so  fixed  was  her  attitude, 
and  the  expression  in  her  eyes — a  statue 
symbolical  of  this  cittd  morta.  Only  one 
human  being  could  we  find  with  whom  to 
talk  :  an  ancient  man  with  bowed  back  and 
long,  gray  beard,  who  mumbled  a  tale  of  how 
all  his  sons  had  left  him  for  America,  and  how 
all  the  old  familiar  faces  "  had  departed. 
Surrounded  on  almost  all  sides  by  precipitous 
rocks,  overgrown  with  trees  and  shrubs, 
Varigotti's  position  is  a  very  strong  one,  the 
evident  reason  why,  in  former  days,  it  was  a 


176  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


beloved  haunt  of  evil-doers.  And  I  could 
not  help  thinking,  as  we  hastened  on  to 
beautiful  Noli,  that  they  were  responsible  for 
the  curse  which  would  seem  to  have  descended 
upon  it. 

Many  ancient  records  claim  that  Noli  is  one 
of  the  oldest  towns  in  the  world.  A  manu- 
script of  1582  states  that,  founded  by  a  colony 
of  Genoese,  it  dates  back  to  the  days  of 
Moses  or  Samson  :  more  than  seven  hun- 
dred years  before  the  foundation  of  Rome  ! 
Fra  Giacomo  d'Aque  claims  that  its  founders 
were  the  nephews  of  Noah,  who,  about  three 
hundred  years  after  the  Flood,  emigrated 
westward  and  settled  down  on  the  shores  of 
Liguria.  Other  writers  contend  that  it  is  of 
Grecian  origin  ;  and  so  on.  Varied  though 
the  opinions  are,  all  the  authorities  agree, 
however,  as  regards  the  essential  fact  that 
Noli  is  a  place  of  very  great  antiquity,  and, 
in  proving  this,  there  is  no  need  to  appeal  to 
the  vague  traditions  set  down  by  early 
chroniclers.  Traces  have  been  found  of  three 
distinct  periods  in  the  primitive  history  of 
the  town  and  district.  Those  of  the  first 
period  are  to  be  seen  on  the  southern  side  of 
Monte  Orsini,  above  the  town,  where  there 
are  numerous  remains  of  buildings,  similar 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa 


177 


to  small  fortalices,  which  are  much  anterior 
to  the  Roman  epoch  ;  those  of  the  second 
have  been  brought  to  light  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  ancient  church  of  San  Paragorio, 
and  date  from  the  time  when  the  founders  of 
Noli  descended  from  their  mountain  homes 
to  the  sea  shore  ;  whilst  those  of  the  third 
indicate  the  presence  of  the  Romans  in  these 
parts. 

Noli  is  believed  to  have  been  destroyed  by 
the  Carthaginians  in  317  B.C.,  and  it  was 
rebuilt  by  the  Romans  of  Genoa,  who,  after 
surrounding  it  with  a  strong  wall  and  erecting 
a  castle  on  Monte  Orsini,  on  the  ruins  of 
previous  defences,  established  a  colony  there. 
Owing  to  its  particularly  sheltered  position, 
within  an  amphitheatre  of  hills,  its  bay 
became  famous  as  a  harbour  and  arsenal,  and 
it  appears  on  the  Tabula  Peutingeriana,  or 
map  of  the  roads  of  the  Roman  Empire,  under 
the  name  A  d  Navalia .  The  interests  of  Noli,  as 
in  the  case  of  Genoa,  having  become  those  of 
Rome,  the  inhabitants  cast  in  their  lot  with 
the  conquerors.  After  being  classed  among 
the  confederate  towns,  it  was  raised  to  the 
position  of  a  municipality,  and  during  the 
Roman  domination  of  Liguria  enjoyed  full 
administrative  Hberty.    As  a  reward  for  its 

12— (2230) 


178  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


fidelity,  it  was  granted  the  further  privilege 
of  exemption  from  the  payment  of  tribute. 
In  the  accomplishment  of  that  other  essential 
duty  of  the  municipalities  of  Italy  towards 
Rome — the  furnishing  of  soldiers — Noli  had 
ever  showed  great  zeal,  and  in  the  early 
years  of  the  Christian  era  it  continued  to 
distinguish  itself  by  sending  many  brave 
warriors  to  assist  in  fighting  the  battles  of 
the  Empire.  Among  these  were  the  four 
glorious  soldier-saints — Paragorio,  Parteo, 
Partenopio,  and  Severino — who,  rather  than 
renounce  their  faith,  gave  up  their  lives  in 
the  name  of  Christ  and  the  new  religion. 

The  story  of  these  four  sons  of  Noli,  and 
especially  the  part  which  San  Paragorio 
played  in  it,  forms  so  important  a  feature  in 
the  history  of  this  little  Mediterranean  town 
that,  well  known  though  it  may  be  to  many 
of  my  readers,  I  may  be  excused  for  repeating 
it.  Paragorio,  Parteo,  Partenopio,  and 
Severino  were  born  in  Noli  about  the  year 
278,  in  the  days  of  the  Emperors  Diocletian 
and  Maximinus  Herculeus.  The  first  of  our 
four  soldiers  was  of  noble  blood,  and  as  a 
youth  was  distinguished  for  his  manly  grace 
and  virtues.  He  and  his  companions  left 
their  native  place  for  Rome  when  they  were 


Along  the  Coast :   to  Genoa 


179 


between  eighteen  and  twenty  years  of  age, 
and  the  offer  of  their  services  having  been 
accepted,  they  were  drafted  into  the  Tebana 
Legion,  then  on  duty  in  Africa.  This  Legion, 
which  at  first  consisted  of  four  thousand  two 
hundred  picked  soldiers,  but  which  was  after- 
wards raised  to  the  strength  of  eleven  thou- 
sand, was  composed  almost  entirely  of  Chris- 
tians, who  showed  particular  bravery  in 
fighting  against  those  Asiatic  kings  and 
princes  who  were  then  among  the  most 
relentless  enemies  of  Rome.  In  the  midst 
of  the  victory  which  crowned  the  efforts  of 
the  Roman  army,  dissension  broke  out  over 
the  question  of  religion,  and  the  Tebana 
Legion  suffered  the  first  of  the  many  acts 
of  persecution  which  were  to  be  crowded 
into  its  long,  and  heroically-supported 
martyrdom.  A  large  number  of  Christian 
soldiers,  who  had  refused  to  worship  pagan 
gods,  were  massacred ;  the  army  became 
divided  into  two  sharply-defined  parties ; 
and  the  pagan  element  having  separated  from 
Paragorio  and  his  companions,  the  Tebana 
Legion  became  wholly  Christian.  At  this 
point  the  army  was  recalled  by  Diocletian 
and  ordered  into  Gaul,  under  the  supreme 
command  of  Maximinus,  who  at  once  began 


180  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


to  display  the  most  savage  cruelty  against 
the  Tebana  Legion.  Enraged  at  the  con- 
spicuous bravery  with  which  it  fought,  as 
compared  with  other  legions  composed  of 
pagan  soldiers  ;  enraged  at  its  refusal  to  take 
part  in  the  profane  rites  with  which  each 
victory  was  celebrated,  he  determined  on  its 
extermination.  An  order  was  given  that  one 
in  every  ten  of  the  Christians  should  be  drawn 
by  lot  and  killed  in  the  presence  of  his  com- 
rades, in  the  hope  that  this  public  sacrifice 
would  force  the  others  to  renounce  their 
belief.  But  the  sight  of  those  brave  men 
dying  with  the  name  of  Christ  upon  their  lips 
did  no  more  than  strengthen  the  faith  of  the 
survivors,  and  Maximinus  was  faced  by  the 
fact  that  he  had  uselessly  sacrificed  some  of 
his  most  heroic  and  illustrious  men.  How- 
ever, he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  be  master, 
whatever  it  might  cost.  Once  more  he 
attempted  to  undermine  the  belief  of  Paragorio 
and  his  fellow-Christians — this  time  by  offering 
them  honours.  But  the  bribe  was  refused, 
and  so  the  terrible  sentence  of  death  against 
the  entire  Legion  went  forth.  Laying  down 
their  arms,  the  soldiers  of  the  Tebana  Legion 
renewed  their  fervid  declarations  of  belief  in 
the  divinity  of  Christ  and,  commending  their 


Along  the  Coast:  to  Genoa  181 


spirits  into  the  hands  of  their  Father,  met 
their  death  with  true  Roman  fortitude.  The 
few  who  survived  the  massacre  took  refuge 
in  the  Haute  Savoie  and  in  Switzerland,  whilst 
the  most  distinguished  members  of  the  Legion, 
including  Paragorio  and  his  three  fellow- 
citizens,  were  transported  to  various  parts  of 
the  Roman  Empire,  with  orders  that  a  further 
attempt  was  to  be  made  to  make  them  return 
to  paganism.  Paragorio,  Parteo,  Pairtenopio, 
and  Severino  were  exiled  to  Corsica.  Honours 
and  high  positions  were  once  more  held  before 
their  eyes.  But  in  vain !  Nor  did  im- 
prisonment, hunger  and  thirst,  and  torments 
of  all  kinds  succeed  where  fair  words  had 
failed  ;  and  thus,  on  the  7th  of  September — 
some  say  in  the  year  303,  others  in  the  year 
310 — came  the  day  of  torture  and  death. 

The  people  of  Noli  are  rightly  proud  of 
their  four  saints,  and  every  year,  on  the 
anniversary  of  their  martyrdom,  they  cele- 
brate their  memory.  In  the  eighth  and 
ninth  centuries  they  built  a  church  in 
honour  of  San  Paragorio  and  his  companions, 
and  this  beautiful  early  Christian  building 
can  still  be  seen  on  the  southern  side  of  the 
town,  near  the  beach.  According  to  the 
historian   Pizzarelli,   it   was  begun  in  the 


182  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


year  760  and  completed  about  820.  Con- 
structed with  singular  magnificence  above  a 
more  ancient  subterranean  church,  which, 
moreover,  still  exists/'  writes  another  learned 
authority,  ^  it  presents  as  a  whole,  and  in 
each  of  its  parts,  the  characteristics  of  a  Latin 
basilica.  ...  It  is  conspicuous  for  its  size 
and  grandeur,  and  also  on  account  of  the 
fact  that,  with  the  exception  of  its  portico, 
or  vestibule,  traces  of  which  are  to  be  seen 
on  the  old  fagade,  it  retains  its  primitive 
form.  ...  In  the  fifteenth  century,  and 
probably  immediately  after  the  falling  into 
ruins  of  this  portico,  the  decorative  orna- 
mentation of  which  must  certainly  have  been 
very  fine,  a  second  vestibule  was  built  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  church.''  This  beautiful 
portico  is  constructed  on  two  octagonal  pillars 
of  black  chiselled  stone,  with  elegantly  carved 
marble  corbels ;  its  arches  are  formed  of 
black  stone  and  white  marble  ;    and  it  is 

1  Canon  Luigi  Descalzi,  the  author  of  a  Storia  di  Noli 
dalle  origini  ai  nostri  giorni,  and  to  whom  I  am  indebted 
for  some  of  the  facts  connected  with  the  history  of  Noli. 
The  Church  of  San  Paragorio,  which  since  1890  has  been 
classed  as  a  national  monument,  is  under  the  care  of  this 
distinguished  ecclesiast,  to  whom  the  credit  of  many- 
archaeological  discoveries  relating  to  the  building,  and 
some  of  which  are  to  be  seen  in  the  little  museum  which 
he  shows  to  visitors,  is  due. 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa 


183 


faced  with  brick-work,  completed  by  a  fine 
cornice.  Among  other  decorative  features 
of  the  exterior  of  the  church  are  three  thir- 
teenth century  tombs  and  the  remains  of 
some  early  mural  paintings.  The  interior, 
which  presents  a  beautiful  and  well-ordered 
ensemble,  contains  several  works  of  art  of 
much  interest,  including  a  wooden  crucifix, 
known  as  that  of  the  Volto  Santo,  bearing  a 
curious  picture  of  Christ  in  a  long  tunic — a 
work  attributed  to  the  eighth  or  ninth  century, 
and  which  was  probably  brought  from  the 
East  by  some  of  those  inhabitants  of  Noli 
who  trafiicked  there  during  the  Middle  Ages.  ^ 
There  is  also  an  interesting  pontifical  chair, 
a  carefully  executed  copy  of  the  ancient 
cathedra  of  the  Bishops  of  NoH  ;  ^  ^^d  the 
crypt,  which  is  more  than  two  yards  and  a 
half  below  the  present  level  of  the  ground, 
contains  details  of  sculpture  and  remains  of 
mural  paintings  that  should  not  be  missed  by 
those  who  have  a  taste  for  art  and  archaeology. 

1  This  "  Volto  Santo  "  is  highly  venerated  by  the  people 
of  Noli,  and  many  believe  that,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Crucifix 
in  the  Cathedral  of  Lucca,  which  is  said  to  have  been  carved 
by  Nicodemus  and  finished  by  Angels,  and  which  Dante 
mentions  in  the  Divine  Comedy  (Inferno  XXI,  48),  it  is  of 
miraculous  origin. 

2  Noli  became  the  seat  of  a  bishop  in  1239  ;  it  was  merged 
into  the  bishopric  of  Savona  in  1819. 


184  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


In  1887,  the  church  was  much  damaged  by 
the  earthquake,  and  threatened  to  fall  into 
ruins,  but  in  the  following  year  its  restoration 
was  begun  by  Commendatore  Alfredo 
d'Andrada,  and  it  is  now  a  splendid  example 
of  early  ecclesiastical  architecture. 

From  the  year  335  to  the  year  641,  NoH 
was  one  of  a  number  of  small  Republics  which 
had  sprung  up  in  various  parts  of  Liguria 
under  the  influence  of  the  Roman  Empire. 
It  was  then  destroyed  by  Rothari,  King  of  the 
Lombards,  but  quickly  reconstructed  and 
more  strongly  defended  than  ever.  Fired 
with  a  desire,  hke  Genoa,  Savona,  and 
Albenga,  to  be  modelled  on  the  lines  of  the 
Power  which  had  done  so  much  for  its 
development,  and  determined  to  be  ready 
to  ward  off  any  future  blows  which  might 
be  dealt  by  the  barbarian,  it  strengthened 
the  great  castle  on  Monte  Orsini  and  built  a 
number  of  high  and  solid  towers.  These 
numbered  no  fewer  than  seventy-two,  a  proof 
of  how  important  the  town  became  during 
the  Middle  Ages,  since  no  one,  unless  he  were 
a  noble  or  an  extremely  rich  man,  owning  at 
least  one  ship  of  commerce  or  of  war,  was 
allowed  to  raise  or  possess  one  of  these 
embattled  outlooks.    From  the  summit  of 


Along  the  Coast  :  to  Genoa 


185 


these  towers  the  inhabitants  of  the  cittd  delle 
settantadue  torre,  as  ancient  Noh  was  called, 
kept  a  sharp  look-out  on  the  horizon,  and  on 
the  approach  of  the  sails  of  the  dreaded 
Saracens,  lit  the  fires  which  were  the  agreed- 
upon  signal  to  Genoa,  its  great  protector, 
that  help  was  needed. 

A  great  number  of  the  seventy-two  towers 
of  Noli  have,  unfortunately,  been  pulled  down, 
but  one  can  form  a  very  good  idea  of  the 
former  appearance  of  the  town  from  those 
which  are  still  standing,  though  even  these 
have  been  considerably  reduced  in  their 
height.  Seen  from  the  slopes  of  the  encircHng 
hills,  these  red  brick  watch-towers,  rising  here 
and  there  from  amidst  the  old  houses,  give 
the  town  just  that  air  of  mediaevalism  which 
accords  so  well  with  its  history. 

We  viewed  them  from  a  path  which  we 
christened  the  Golden  Way :  an  ancient, 
winding,  stony  mule-track,  leading  to  the 
heights  on  which  the  ruined  castle  stands. 
The  day  was  drawing  to  a  close,  and  the  sun, 
about  to  disappear  behind  a  hill,  was  pouring 
a  flood  of  golden  light  on  to  the  town's 
ruddy  towers  and  our  mountain  pathway. 
It  was  not  this  sunset  alone,  however,  which 
suggested  the  appellation  :    the  Antiquary 


186  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


reminded  me  that  we  were  now  treading  in 
the  footsteps  of  Dante,  and  what  better  word 
than  golden  "  could  be  applied  to  a  foot- 
path which,  as  it  pleased  us  to  fancy,  had 
been  followed  by  an  immortal  poet  ?  Many 
places  to  which  we  were  coming  in  Liguria 
were  visited  by  this  great  wayfarer  during 
the  years  of  exile  that  followed  his  banishment 
and  flight  from  Florence  in  1302,  and  some 
of  them,  with  the  most  acute  observation 
of  the  beauty  of  the  landscapes  of  the  province 
— a  faculty  which  only  a  few  great  natures 
of  the  Renaissance  displayed — are  mentioned 
in  the  Divine  Comedy.  ^ 

^  In  addition  to  his  numerous  references  to  places, 
persons,  and  events  connected  with  the  history  of  Liguria, 
Dante  drew  upon  the  Genoese  dialect  for  some  of  his  words, 
— such  as  cd  {casa),  co  {capo),  fi  {ftgho),  barha  {zio),  chiappa 
[ardesia),  and  levre  {lepre),  thus  making  them  a  recognised 
part  of  the  national  language.  He  is  said  by  Filelfo  to  have 
been  an  ambassador  in  Genoa,  but  this  is  denied  by  some 
authorities.  However,  the  Divine  Comedy  shows  a  remark- 
able knowledge  of  the  dialect  of  the  city,  and  he  was  clearly 
well-acquainted  with  its  political  events — as,  for  example, 
the  murder  of  Branca  Doria,  in  1290,  which  prompted  the 
scathing  words  :  — 

"  Ah  Genoese  !  men  perverse  in  every  way. 

With  every  foulness  stain'd,  why  from  the  earth 

Are  ye  not  cancel'd  ?  " 

(Inferno  XXXIII,  151-153.) 

But  Dante's  anathemas  must  not  be  taken  too  seriously. 
He  was  given  to  using  hard  names,  and  many  are  the  cities 


The  ''Golden  Wgy^  above  Noli 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa 


187 


"  Vassi  in  Sanleo,  e  discendesi  in  Noli ; 
Montasi  su  Bismantova  in  cacume 
Con  esso  i  pie  :  ma  qui  convien  ch'uom  voli,"  ^ 

(Purg.  IV,  30.) 

sings  Dante,  describing  his  ascent,  with 
Virgil,  of  the  mountain  of  Purgatory,  by  a 
"  steep  and  narrow  path  pent  in  on  each  side 
by  rock/'  Hard  and  rough  indeed  must 
have  been  the  coast  roads  of  Liguria  when, 
meditating  on  his  great  poem — in  which,  as 
Edmund  G.  Gardner  has  well  said,  all  the 
noblest  thought  and  work  of  the  ages  that 
passed  between  the  fall  of  the  Roman  Empire 
and  the  closing  years  of  the  thirteenth  century, 
finds  supreme  artistic  expression — he 
wandered  from  city  to  city  throughout  Italy. 
The  wild  and  precipitous  character  of  a  good 
deal  of  the  littoral,  especially  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Noli,  Rapallo,  and  Sestri  Levante, 
is  still  a  safe  indication  of  the  scenery  upon 

which  received  the  lash  every  whit  as  severely  as  La  Superba. 
Florence  was  the  "  plant  of  him  that  on  his  Maker  turn'd 
the  back," — ^that  is,  Satan  ;  Pistoja  was  likened  to  a  den 
of  wild  beasts  ;  and  Lucca,  the  city  of  Santa  Zita,  was 
peopled  with  baraUieri,  those  guilty  of  corrupt  practices 
and  peculation — a  sin  to  which  great  importance  was 
attached  in  the  days  of  Dante. 

1  "  On  Sanleo's  road 
Who  journeys,  or  to  Noli  low  descends. 
Or  mounts  Bismantua's  height,  must  use  his  feet ; 
But  here  a  man  had  need  to  fly  .  .  .  " 

(Gary's  translation.) 


188  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


which  the  divine  singer  gazed  in  the  fourteenth 
century  ;  and,  indeed,  I  am  much  inchned 
to  the  opinion  that  a  visit  to  the  shores  of  the 
Ligurian  Sea  is  an  essential  part  of  the 
education  of  every  student  of  Dante.  At 
any  rate,  the  power  of  some  of  the  descrip- 
tions in  the  Divine  Comedy  is  certainly 
made  clearer  by  personal  inspection  of  these 
rugged,  pine-clad  cliffs,  along  whose  sides, 
high  above  the  sea,  wind  the  narrow,  steep 
paths  of  the  contadini  and  their  mules.  Can 
we  for  a  moment  doubt  that  the  following 
lines  were  inspired  by  the  surroundings  of 
NoH  ?— 

"  Noi  salivam  per  entro  il  sasso  rotto, 

E  d'ogni  lato  ne  stringea  lo  stremo, 

E  piedi  e  man  voleva  il  suol  di  sotto. 
Poi  che  noi  fummo  in  su  I'orlo  supremo 

DeU'alta  ripa,  alia  scoperta  piaggia  ; 

*  Maestro  mio,'  diss'io,  '  che  via  faremo  ?  ' 
Ed  egli  a  me  :  '  Nessun  tuo  passo  caggia  : 

Pur  su  al  monte  dietro  a  me  acquista, 

Fin  che  n'appaia  alcuna  scorta  saggia.' 
Lo  sommo  er'alto  che  vincea  la  vista, 

E  la  costa  superba  piu  assai 

Che  da  mezzo  quadrante  a  centro  lista. 
lo  era  lasso,  quando  cominciai  : 

'  O  dolce  padre,  volgiti  e  rimira 

Com'io  rimango  solo,  se  non  ristai.' 
'  Figliuol  mio,'  disse,  '  infin  quivi  ti  tira,' 

Additandomi  un  balzo  poco  in  sue, 

Che  da  quel  lato  il  poggio  tutto  gira. 
Si  mi  spronaron  le  parole  sue. 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa  189 


Ch'io  mi  sforzai,  carpando  appresso  lui, 
Tanto  che  il  cinghio  sotto  i  pie  mi  fue. 
A  seder  ci  ponemmo  ivi  ambedui 
Volti  a  levante,  ond'  eravam  saliti  ; 
Che  suole,  a  riguardar,  giovare  altrui."  ^ 

(Purg.  IV,  31-54.) 

As  a  perpetual  reminder  of  Dante's  visit  to 
Noli,  the  municipahty  has  recorded  it  on  a 
memorial  stone  under  the  town's  picturesque 
arcades.  Here  there  are  also  tablets  to 
the  memory  of  two  other  great  men,  whose 

1  We  through  the  broken  rock  ascended,  close 
Pent  on  each  side,  while  underneath  the  ground 
Ask'd  aid  of  hands  and  feet.    When  we  arrived 
Near  on  the  highest  ridge  of  the  steep  bank. 
Where  the  plain  level  open'd,  I  exclaim'd, 
"  O  Master  !   say,  which  way  can  we  proceed." 
He  answer 'd,  "  Let  no  step  of  thine  recede. 
Behind  me  gain  the  mountain,  till  to  us 
Some  practised  guide  appear."     That  eminence 
Was  lofty,  that  no  eye  might  reach  its  point ; 
And  the  side  proudly  rising,  more  than  line 
From  the  mid  quadrant  to  the  centre  drawn. 
I,  wearied,  thus  began  :  "  Parent  beloved  ! 
Turn  and  behold  how  I  remain  alone, 
If  thou  stay  not." — "  My  son  !  "   he  straight  replied, 
"  Thus  far  put  forth  thy  strength  "  ;  and  to  a  track 
Pointed,  that,  on  this  side  projecting,  round 
Circles  the  hill.    His  words  so  spurr'd  me  on. 
That  I,  behind  him,  clambering,  forced  myself. 
Till  my  feet  press'd  the  circuit  plain  beneath. 
There  both  together  seated,  turn'd  we  round 
To  eastward,  whence  was  our  ascent  :  and  oft 
Many  beside  have  with  delight  look'd  back. 

(Cary's  translation.) 


190  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


names  are  invariably  connected  with  the 
history  of  Noli :  Antonio  da  Noli,  the  daring 
navigator  who  discovered  the  Cape  Verde 
Islands  in  1462,  and  Fra  Giordano  Bruno, 
who  began  life  in  a  convent  and  died,  on 
February  17th,  1600,  a  confirmed  materialist. 
The  wisdom  of  putting  up  a  plaque  to  this 
antichristian  writer,  whose  connection  with 
the  town  was  merely  that  of  a  teacher  of 
grammar  and  cosmography  during  a  period 
of  four  or  five  months,  has,  perhaps,  been 
doubted  by  some  of  the  devout  Nolese,  but 
no  one  has  ever  raised  a  protest  against  the 
celebration  of  the  memory  of  the  man  who 
upheld  the  reputation  of  the  sons  of  Noli  for 
bravery  and  experience  in  sea-craft.  Antonio 
left  his  native  town  to  offer  his  services  to 
Portugal  about  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth 
century,  when  he  was  between  twenty-five 
and  thirty  years  of  age.    He  was  accompanied 
by  his  brother  Bartholomeo  and  his  nephew 
Raffaele,  and  he  had  three  ships,  all  his  own 
property.    Received  with  open  arms  at  the 
Portuguese  Court,  he  was  entrusted  by  Prince 
Henry,  whose  great  desire  was  to  discover  a 
way  to  the  Indies,  with  an  expedition,  and 
whilst  it  was  en  route  the  Cape  Verde  Islands 
were  discovered  and  added  to  the  possessions 


Along  the  Coast  :  to  Genoa 


191 


of  Portugal.  Antonio  made  other  discoveries, 
but  in  company  with  the  Venetian  navigator, 
Alvise  Cadamosto,  whom  he  met  between 
the  mouth  of  the  Senegal  and  Cape  Verde. 
After  sailing  down  the  River  Gambia,  they 
met  with  so  many  difficulties  that  they 
had  to  abandon  the  idea  of  reaching  the 
Indies,  and  were  forced,  with  greatly  reduced 
crews,  to  return  to  Portugal.  When  and 
where  Antonio  died  no  one  knows  ;  but  he  is 
beheved  to  have  breathed  his  last  in  1466. 

The  road  from  Noli  to  the  Porto  di  Vado 
passes  through  ten  kilometres  of  very  pic- 
turesque scenery  ;  it  follows  the  sinuosities  of 
the  rocky  coast,  and  on  winding  round  a  little 
cape  opposite  the  Isle  of  Bergeggi  (and  above 
a  sea-washed  cavern  of  the  same  name), 
enables  you  to  obtain  a  fine  view  of  distant 
Savona.  But  from  this  point  it  falls  off  in 
interest,  since,  for  the  greater  part  of  the 
remaining  nine  kilometres  to  Savona,  it  runs 
slightly  inland,  across  the  fertile  plains  of 
the  banks  of  the  Quiliano  and  Segno 
torrents. 

The  Isle  of  Bergeggi,  which  during  the 
Middle  Ages  was  called  the  Isola  di  Liguria,  is 
interesting  on  account  of  the  remains  of 
Roman  and  Mediaeval  buildings  which  crown 


192  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


its  summit.  According  to  Commendatore 
d'Andrada,  who  carefully  studied  and 
described  them  in  1899,  the  ruins  attributable 
to  the  Romans — a  round  tower  within  a  tri- 
angular enclosure — are  those  of  a  lighthouse, 
erected  to  guide  navigators  into  the  harbour 
of  Vado.  At  the  time  of  the  construction  of 
this  tower,  the  Romans  were  in  complete 
possession  of  Liguria,  so  that  the  idea  that 
it  may  have  been  a  fort  can  be  rejected.  The 
other  remains  are  those  of  the  church  and 
monastery  which  were  built  at  the  end  of 
the  tenth  century  in  honour  of  Sant'  Eugenio, 
who  died  and  was  buried  on  the  island  in 
505.  They  were  inhabited  by  a  small  colony 
of  Benedictine  monks  from  the  year  992  to 
1252,  when  the  sacred  ashes  of  Sant'  Eugenio 
were  transported  by  Monsignor  Filippo,  Bishop 
of  Noli,  to  the  church  of  San  Paragorio.  The 
relics  of  the  saint  were  removed  in  1602  to 
the  new  cathedral  of  San  Pietro,  where  they 
are  still  venerated. 

The  Grotta  di  Bergeggi  is  some  thirty 
metres  long,  twenty-five  broad,  and  fifteen 
high,  and  though  it  can  be  entered  by  a 
difficult  passage  from  above,  it  is  more  easily 
explored  by  means  of  a  boat.  A  number  of 
skeletons,  with  flint  and  bronze  implements. 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Crenoa 


193 


were  discovered  some  years  ago  in  one  of  its 
galleries  ;  but  it  contains  nothing  of  interest 
now  save  fossil  remains,  and  is  hardly  worth 
while  visiting  unless  you  are  particularly 
interested  in  geology.  Most  travellers  will 
prefer — as  we  did — to  take  its  history  for 
granted  and  push  along  the  road  towards 
their  next  great  centre,  Savona,  passing,  en 
route,  Vado  and  Fornaci,  which  deserve  brief 
mention.  The  former  is  the  Vada  Sehatia  of 
the  Roman  epoch,  was  an  important  station 
on  the  Via  Julia,  and  claims  to  have  been 
the  birthplace,  in  193,  of  the  Emperor 
Pertinax.  The  latter,  as  its  name  indicates, 
is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  earthenware, 
which,  before  being  fired  in  its  kilns  (forni), 
is  placed  in  the  sun,  along  the  roadside,  to 
dry. 

Modern  Savona,  an  enterprising  and  well- 
ordered  seaport,  with  fine,  broad  streets  and 
stately  arcades,  may  be  said  to  be  quickly 
swallowing  up  the  old  town  ;  or,  perhaps,  it 
would  be  more  correct  to  say  that  the  old  is 
being  enveloped  and  hidden  by  the  new. 
One's  first  impression,  on  seeing  its  large 
squares  and  gardens,  and  on  walking  under 
its  many  portici,  which  are  every  bit  as 

magnificent  as  those  in  the  Rue  de  RivoH,  in 

13— (2230) 


194  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Paris,  is  that  the  Savona  of  the  Middle 
Ages,  when  it  was  under  the  dominion 
of  Genoa,  much  against  its  will ;  ^  the 
Savona  of  the  epoch  of  Columbus  and 
those  other  great  navigators  (many,  of  them 
Ligurians)  who  made  geographical  discoveries 
of  the  utmost  importance,  is  a  thing  of  the 
past.  But  this  is  not  really  so.  Portions  of 
old  Savona  still  exist,  and  a  very  little  search 
in  the  narrow  streets  of  the  quarter  near  the 
port  will  result  in  you  finding  them.  The 
most  ancient  monument  of  the  town  is  the 
Brandale  tower,  which  formed  part  of  the  old 
defences,  and  a  mention  of  which  is  to  be 
found  in  a  document  of  1178.  The  fifteenth 
century  is  represented  by  another  tower — 
that  bearing  the  name  of  Leone  Pancaldo, 
opposite  the  square  at  the  end  of  the  Via 
Paleocapa  ;  the  sixteenth  century  by  the  fort 
which  the  Genoese  built  on  the  western  side 
of  the  town  :  a  fort  which  is  now  used  as  a 
prison,  and  in  which  Giuseppe  Mazzini  was 
imprisoned  ;  and  the  end  of  the  sixteenth 
and  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth 
centuries  by  the  cathedral. 

The  Torre  Pancaldo  is  the  ancient  tower 

*  "  The  people  of  Savona,"  wrote  Giustiniani,  "  possess 
great  understanding  and  ill-support  servitude." 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa 


195 


of  the  wet-dock,  and  there  is  little  to  be  said 
about  it  save  that  it  was  built  in  the  century 
of  Columbus  as  a  nocturnal  guard  of  the 
port ;  that  it  has  many  times  been  restored  ; 
and  that  in  1664  the  Commune  of  Savona 
ornamented  it  with  a  clock  and  a  statue  of 
the  Madonna,  the  latter  facing  the  sea  and 
bearing  underneath  these  lines,  in  Latinised 
Italian,  by  the  sixteenth  century  Savona 
poet,  Gabriello  Chiabrera  : — 

In  mare  irato  in  subito  procella 
Invoco  te  nostra  benigna  stella. 

But  slight  though  its  history  may  be,  how 
vividly  this  tower  and  the  name  it  bears 
call  up  one's  recollections  of  the  splendid 
pages  which  are  devoted  to  the  mariners 
of  Liguria  in  the  great  story  of  the  early 
explorers  of  the  ocean  !  In  the  management 
of  ships  and  a  knowledge  of  the  moods  of  the 
sea,  the  Ligurians  were  acknowledged  in  the 
fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries  to  be  without 
equal.  Naval  skiU  and  bravery  were  part  of 
their  birthright,  inherited  from  those  fierce 
ancestors  who  stood  out  so  stoutly  against 
the  Romans,  and  who  drew  a  cry  of  admira- 
tion even  from  the  conqueror.  They  are 
strong  and  brave,  not  only  in  war,"  wrote 
Diodorus  Siculus,     but  also  in  confronting 


196  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


the  tempests  of  the  ocean,  on  which  they  set 
out  in  their  slender  boats  to  sail  even  as  far 
as  the  seas  of  Sardinia  and  Lybia/'  The 
reputation  of  the  navigators  of  Liguria 
became,  then,  world-wide,  and,  as  in  the 
case  of  Columbus  and  Antonio  da  Noli  and 
Pancaldo,  their  services  were  eagerly  sought 
by  those  kings  and  princes  who  were  ambitious 
of  adding  to  their  possessions.  The  part 
which  Columbus,  the  greatest  of  all  Ligurian 
navigators,  played  in  the  century  of  great 
territorial  discoveries  is  known  to  every  one.  ^ 
I  have  already  written  of  the  work  of  Antonio. 
But  few  have  heard  of  Leone  Pancaldo.  He 

1  Without  entering  into  the  compUcated  controversy 
regarding  the  birthplace  of  Columbus,  let  me  point  out  that 
only  two  of  the  many  towns  and  cities  which  claim  him  as 
a  son  are  considered  by  modern  critics  to  have  made  out 
a  good  case,  and  that  up  to  the  present  the  balance  dips  in 
favour,  not  of  Genoa,  but  of  Savona.  Numerous  facts 
support  Savona's  claim,  but  the  most  conclusive  are  those 
contained  in  the  documents  discovered  in  1892  by  Professor 
R.  D.  Uhagon  in  the  National  Archives  in  Madrid,  and  which 
refer  to  Christoforo  Colombo,  a  Genoese,  being  an  "  hera 
naturel  de  la  Saona,  ques  una  villa  9erca  de  Genova."  I 
may  add,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  have  a  taste  for 
making  pilgrimages  to  old  houses,  that,  facing  the  Piazza 
Colombo,  near  the  port,  is  a  house  in  which  the  discoverer 
of  America  is  said  to  have  lived  for  many  years,  "  meditat- 
ing," as  a  tablet  records,  "  over  his  future  discoveries," 
which  included  an  island  in  the  Atlantic  to  which,  in 
memory  of  Savona,  he  gave  the  name  of  Savoa. 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa  197 


was  a  poor  cooper  of  Savona  who,  having 
taken  to  a  seafaring  life,  made  a  number  of 
voyages  at  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth 
century  which  brought  him  considerable  fame. 
There  is  no  need  to  exaggerate  his  abilities, 
as  some  writers  have  done  ;  he  was  certainly 
far  from  possessing  either  the  spirit  or  the 
gift  of  divination  shown  by  his  great  fellow- 
townsman,  Columbus.  But  there  is  no  doabt 
as  to  his  bravery  and  skill  as  a  pilot,  and  his 
reputation  for  these  qualities  having  come 
to  the  ears  of  Ferdinando  Magellan,  the 
Portuguese  navigator  and  admiral  of  Charles 
V,  he  was  offered  the  post  of  head  pilot 
of  an  expedition  which  was  being  sent  out  to 
settle  the  question  of  the  delimitation  of  the 
possessions  of  Spain  and  Portugal,  which  were 
then  under  dispute.  Three  other  Savonese 
were  engaged  with  him  :  Francesco  Scivra, 
Gianni,  and  Agostino  da  Savona.  Magellan's 
fleet,  which  consisted  of  five  caravels,  the 
Trinidad,  the  Sanf  Antonio,  the  Conception , 
the  Victoria,  and  the  Sanf  lago,  ships  of  one 
hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  tons  burden, 
left  Seville  on  August  10th,  1519,  with  a  crew  of 
two  himdred  and  thirty-seven  men.  Descend- 
ing the  Guadalquivir  (we  read  in  the  account  of 
the  voyage,  written  by  Antonio  Pigafetta 


198  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Vicentin  Cavagliere  Gerosolimitano),  the  fleet 
stopped  at  San  Lucar  to  complete  its  prepara- 
tions, and  then  set  sail  on  a  south-western 
route.  Having  passed  Cape  Verde,  the 
expedition  reached  Brazil,  and,  following  the 
coast,  in  the  direction  of  the  antarctic  pole, 
Patagonia,  where  it  was  delayed  about  five 
months.  The  captains  of  four  of  the  vessels 
plotted  at  this  time  against  Magellan,  but  the 
conspiracy  was  discovered  and  two  of  them 
were  put  to  death.  The  others  were  landed 
in  Patagonia.  But  more  serious  troubles 
were  in  store  for  Magellan  and  his  Savonese 
pilots.  Whilst  exploring  the  coast,  the  Sanf 
I  ago  was  shipwrecked.  The  crew,  however, 
was  saved.  The  other  ships  also  ran  great 
dangers,  but  finally  they  reached  a  narrow 
strip  of  sea,  into  which  the  Sanf  Antonio  and 
the  Conception  advanced.  But  they  turned 
back  after  two  days,  and  the  former  vessel 
secretly  set  sail  for  Spain.  Magellan  was 
determined,  however,  not  to  abandon  the 
undertaking,  so  he  pushed  forward  with  his 
remaining  vessels  and,  at  the  end  of  three 
days,  during  which  he  and  his  men  were 
alternately  racked  with  despair  and  buoyed 
up  with  hope,  sighted  the  last  cape  of  the 
straits  to  which  his  name  was  given.  For 


Along  the  Coast :   to  Genoa  199 


the  next  three  months  and  twenty  days  the 
only  land  they  saw  were  two  small  islands 
which,  since  they  could  find  nothing  upon 
them  save  birds  and  trees,  they  named  the 
Unfortunate  Isles.  Having  crossed  the 
equator,  the  expedition  sailed  in  a  west-north- 
western direction,  and  on  March  6th,  1521, 
discovered  a  few  islands.  Then,  continuing 
towards  the  west,  it  met  with  other  islands, 
which  were  christened  with  the  name  of  San 
Lazzaro,  but  which  were  afterwards,  in 
honour  of  Philip  of  Austria,  the  son  of 
Charles  V,  named  the  Philippines.  On 
April  27th,  1521,  the  Island  of  Matan  was 
discovered,  and  it  was  there,  in  a  fight  with 
the  natives,  that  Magellan  was  killed.  The 
command  of  the  fleet  was  assumed  by  Gio- 
vanni Sebastiano  del  Cano,  and  after  numerous 
adventures  the  Molucca  Isles  were  sighted. 
The  return  voyage  was  then  made,  but  the 
only  vessel  to  reach  home,  on  September  8th, 
1522,  after  an  absence  of  more  than  three 
years,  was  the  Victoria^  and  out  of  the  crew 
of  two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  who  set 
out  only  eighteen  remained.  One  of  the 
survivors  was  Leone  Pancaldo,  who,  welcomed 
with  great  joy  by  the  King  of  Spain,  received 
a  recompense  of  2,000  gold  ducats.  Charles 


200  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


made  the  condition,  however,  that  he  should 
say  nothing  about  the  discoveries  in  which 
he  had  assisted,  and  should  pilot  no  one  else 
to  the  new  lands — a  condition  which  Pancaldo 
kept  for  thirteen  years.  But  in  1535  he 
broke  his  agreement  by  undertaking  a  fresh 
voyage  ;  and  was  drowned  near  Rio  de  la  Plata. 

As  in  the  days  of  Pancaldo,  Savona  still 
prides  itself  on  its  maritime  importance.  Its 
port,  truly,  is  a  very  busy  one  :  a  miniature 
Genoa,  with  its  harbour  full  of  ships  from 
Glasgow,  Castellamare,  Viareggio,  and  Sicily, 
ladened  with  coal  and  wine  and  oil  and 
sulphur.  Especially  is  one  struck  by  the  fact 
that  the  long  arm  of  England  is  stretched 
out  towards  it  ;  that  the  influence  of  Great 
Britain  is  felt  and  appreciated.  But  for  the 
occasional  mistakes  which  are  made  in  writing 
the  King's  English,  one  might  imagine  from 
the  innumerable  signs  in  this  language  which 
meet  the  eye  in  the  quarter  near  the  docks 
that  one  was  in  an  English  port.  Notices 
remind  you  that  this  or  that  firm  makes  a 
speciality  in  the  fitting  of  marine  engine 
pipes'*;  that  here  or  there  stamps  and 
money  are  changed ;  that  this  parrucchiere 
is  a  Hair  Dresser,  and  that  he  speaks  Eng- 
lisk  "  ;  and  that  a  certain  public-house,  The 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa  201 


Queen  Alexander/'  should  be  remembered 
for  orders  and  wines  of  all  kinds."  The 
number  of  inns  and  bars  which  have  been 
christened  with  familiar  English  names  is 
bewildering,  and  one  asks  oneself  if  all  these 
Cardiff  Arms/'  Queen's  Heads/'  and 
Liverpool  Coffee  Houses "  depend  wholly 
on  the  custom  of  English  captains  and  sailors. 
For  if  so,  important  indeed  must  be  the  trade 
relations  between  Great  Britain  and  Savona. 

In  the  century  of  Columbus,  Savona  was 
the  home  of  the  celebrated  Delia  Rovere 
family,  from  which  sprang  two  popes,  Sixtus  IV 
and  Julius  II,  numerous  cardinals,  and  at 
least  two  princes.  The  great  Sixtus  was  born 
at  Celle  Ligure,  a  few  miles  from  Savona,  on 
July  21st,  1414,  and  he  was  the  son  of  Leon- 
ardo Delia  Rovere  and  Luchina  Monleone. 
Never  had  man  so  highly  developed  a  love  of 
his  family  as  Francesco  Delia  Rovere.  He 
created  five  of  his  nephews  cardinals  :  Pier 
Riario,  Giuliano  Delia  Rovere,  Raffaele  Riario 
Sansone,  Marco  Vigerio,  and  Girolamo  Basso 
Delia  Rovere  ;  and  raised  two  others — Leon- 
ardo Delia  Rovere  and  Girolamo  Riario — to 
the  position  of  princes.  Guiliano  Delia  Rovere, 
the  future  Julius  II,  was  the  son  of  Raffaele 
Delia  Rovere  and  Teodora  Manerola,  and  he 


202  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


was  born  at  Albissola,  near  Savona,  on  June 
22nd,  1443.  Great  was  the  rejoicing  in 
Savona  when  he  was  elected  Pope. 

Julius  II  had  a  great  affection  for  his  native 
town  and  district,  and  as  a  patron  of  art  he 
did  much  towards  making  Savona  a  notable 
place.  The  Palazzo  Delia  Rovere,  opposite 
the  cathedral,  was  built  for  him  in  accordance 
with  the  plans  of  Sangallo,  and  he  is  said  to 
have  intended  the  building  to  be  the  seat  of 
a  sort  of  university.  But  it  is  to  the  Duomo 
that  one  turns  to  find  the  most  precious  of 
the  works  of  art  which  he  commissioned. 
This  cathedral,  which  was  planned  by  the 
Savonese  architect,  Orazio  Grassi,  was  begun 
in  1589  and  completed  in  1602,  and  it  con- 
tains a  large  number  of  works  which  were  in 
an  older  Duomo.  The  most  noteworthy  of 
these  are  the  magnificently  carved  choir 
stalls,  arranged  in  two  semicircular  rows,  the 
upper  row  consisting  of  thirty-two  and  the 
lower  of  twenty-four  stalls.  The  backs  of  the 
upper  row  are  ornamented  with  pictures  of 
Christ  and  the  Saints,  beautifully  carried  out 
with  the  sole  aid  of  various  coloured  woods. 
The  carving  and  the  marquetry  of  these  stalls 
is  the  work  of  Anselmo  De  Fornarigs,  a  native 
of  Castelnuovo  di  Scrivia,  who  worked  there, 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa 


203 


in  1500,  in  collaboration  with  Elia  De  Rocchi, 
under  the  patronage  of  Julius  II.  Anselmo's 
work  is  to  be  seen  in  many  parts  of  Italy, 
principally  in  the  Cathedral  of  Genoa.  A 
reading-desk  and  a  bishop's  chair,  also  in  the 
Savona  Cathedral,  are  likewise  his.  All  these 
works  were  carefully  restored  in  the  nineteenth 
century  by  Tommaso  and  Vincenzo  Garassini, 
two  noted  Savonese  workers  in  inlaid  wood.  ^ 
Among  other  artistic  treasures  which  were 
removed  from  the  old  to  the  new  cathedral 
are  a  fifteenth  century  marble  pulpit,  orna- 
mented with  bas-reliefs,  and  a  baptismal  font, 
the  former  of  which  is  the  work  of  Giovanni 
Battista  Molinari ;  a  splendidly  carved  marble 
crucifix  of  1530  which  stands  at  the  bottom 
of  the  church  ;  a  number  of  early  examples 
of  Italian  painting,  including  a  picture  by 
Brea,  in  the  chapel  on  the  right  on  entering 
the    building ;     and    numerous  valuable 

1  Inspired  by  the  work  of  Anselmo,  one  of  these  skilled 
artists  executed  a  series  of  similar  panels  for  the  choir- 
stalls  of  the  Sanctuary  of  the  Madonna  di  Misericordia. 
This  famous  church,  which  is  reached  from  Savona  by 
following  the  picturesque  road  that  winds  along  the  banks 
of  the  Letimbro  torrent  for  a  distance  of  seven  kilometres, 
was  built  in  1600  on  the  spot  where  the  Virgin  is  said  to 
have  appeared  to  a  peasant  named  Botta  in  1536.  It  is 
renowned  throughout  Liguria  as  a  place  of  pilgrimage, 
and  nine  chapels,  containing  religious  paintings,  have  been 
built  alongside  the  route. 


204  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


ecclesiastical  ornaments,  such  as  jewelled 
crosses,  and  the  crosier  which  belonged  to 
Giuliano  Delia  Rovere. 

One  has  somewhat  a  feeling  of  regret,  on 
looking  at  some  of  these  works,  and  especially 
the  pictures,  that  when  the  old  Duomo  was 
abandoned  they  were  not  removed  to  a  place 
better  adapted  for  displaying  their  high 
artistic  qualities.  Like  all  churches,  the 
Savona  Cathedral  is  extremely  ill-lit ;  so 
that  the  connoisseur  is  prevented  from 
enjoying  to  the  full  the  exquisite  beauty  of 
these  examples  of  the  art  of  the  fifteenth 
and  sixteenth  centuries.  However,  he  has 
the  means  whilst  at  Savona  of  alleviating 
his  disappointment.  In  the  Municipal  Art 
Gallery,  in  well-lit  rooms,  are  a  number  of 
pictures  and  other  works  of  art  which  make 
an  earnest  claim  on  his  attention.  One  of 
the  finest  is  an  Annunziazione,"  by  Giovanni 
Masone  d'Alessandrio,  an  artist  of  the  Pied- 
montese  School  of  the  fifteenth  century  :  a 
picture  composed  of  several  compartments  in 
its  old  carved  gilded  frame.  The  top  com- 
partment represents  the  Crucifixion ;  the 
middle  one,  the  principal  subject,  the  Annun- 
ciation ;  whilst  on  the  side  and  bottom  panels 
are  pictures  of  four  saints  and  Christ  with  His 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa  205 


Apostles.  A  picture  of  the  Crucifixion,  with  the 
Madonna  and  St.  John,  attributed  to  Andrea 
Mantegna  (1431-1506),  also  in  its  original 
gilded  frame  ;  and  a  San  Sebastian,  attributed 
to  Guido  Reni,  should  likewise  be  mentioned. 
Finally,  collectors  of  china  should  not  miss 
seeing  the  three  fine  eighteenth  century  vases 
of  Savona  ware,  decorated  with  blue,  green, 
and  yellow  paintings  by  Guidobono. 

Savona  still  retains  its  old  reputation  for 
the  production  of  artistic  pottery.  There  are 
several  manufactories  in  the  town  and  district, 
and  whilst  on  our  way  towards  Genoa  we 
passed  one  of  the  most  important,  that  of 
Albissola  Marina,  to  which  the  coast-road 
rapidly  descends  after  steeply  ascending 
inland  from  Savona. 

On  reaching  Albissola  Marina  we  made  a 
slight  deviation  from  our  route  to  see  the 
Palazzo  Delia  Rovere  and  its  gardens  at 
Albissola  Superiore,  but  with  this  exception 
we  kept  our  feet  well  on  the  main  road  all  the 
way  to  Genoa.  Truth  to  tell,  we  were  eager 
to  cover  the  remaining  twenty-seven  miles  and 
reach  the  capital  of  Liguria,  where,  before 
continuing  our  journey  along  the  Riviera  di 
Levante  to  Spezzia,  we  hoped  to  obtain  a  little 
repose  and  spend  a  few  days  in  quiet  study 


206  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


in  the  University  and  Municipal  Libraries. 
Some  travellers  may  accuse  us  of  having 
passed  over  the  ground  too  rapidly,  but  I  do 
not  think  that  we  missed  much  of  what  is 
historically  interesting.  We  stopped  a  while 
to  gaze  on  the  ancient  ruins  of  Varazze  ;  we 
saw  the  house  at  Cogoleto  which  the  inhabit- 
ants of  that  village  claim  was  the  birthplace 
of  Columbus  ;  ^  we  paused  on  the  bridge  at 
Voltri  to  look  on  the  Leira  torrent,  which 
supplies  the  motive-force  for  some  of  those 
paper-mills  which  once  made  the  paper  used 
for  the  registers  of  the  Archives  of  London  ; 
and,  before  entering  by  the  western  gate  of  La 
Superba,  we  likewise  tarried  to  look  up  at 
the  Lanterna  and  recall  its  history,  which 
dates  back  as  far  as  1129.^  The  commercial 
influence  of  Genoa  is  very  noticeable  as  soon 
as  one  reaches  Voltri,  and  a  good  deal  of  the 

1  In  addition  to  Savona  and  Genoa  and  Cogoleto,  the 
following  towns  all  claim  to  have  been  the  birthplace  of 
Columbus  :  Albissola,  Nervi,  Finale,  Oneglia,  Quinto, 
Chiavari,  Milan,  Modena,  Pradello,  Cuccaro,  Cosseria,  Calvi 
di  Corsica,  No  vara,  and  Bogliasco. 

2  This  quadrilateral  lighthouse,  which  is  classed  as  a 
national  monument,  was  destroyed  in  1512,  and  rebuilt  in 
its  present  form  in  1543.  It  is  a  little  over  69  metres  in 
height,  and  its  500  candle-power  light,  situated  114  metres 
above  sea  level,  is  visible  at  a  distance  of  twenty-seven 
miles.  An  extensive  view  of  the  city  and  the  two  Rivieras 
can  be  obtained  from  its  summit. 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Genoa 


207 


picturesqueness  of  the  coast  has  been  spoilt 
by  manufactories.  There  are  many  iron  and 
steel  works  at  Sestri  Ponente,  Cornigliano 
Ligure,  and  San  Pier  d' Arena,  which  has  been 
well  called  the  Manchester  of  Italy,  and  this 
is  a  portion  of  the  Riviera  which  most  way- 
farers will  prefer  to  pass  over  as  quickly  as 
possible. 


Tlw  Pancaldo  Tower  at  Savona 


The  Banco  di  San  Giorgio,  Genoa 


CHAPTER  IX 

RAMBLES  IN  ANCIENT  GENOA 

The  gods  willed  it  that  our  quarters  whilst 
in  Genoa  should  be  just  those  which  best 
accorded  with  the  errand  upon  which  we 
were  bent.  The  old  city  was  what  we  had 
in  view  ;  and  there  we  were,  thrown  into  the 
very  midst  of  it,  enveloped  by  the  very 
atmosphere  we  most  desired.  Our  rooms 
were  in  an  eighteenth  century  palace  near 
the  port  :  one  of  those  many  palaces  of 
Genoa  which  have  fallen  from  their  high 
estate,  but  which,  nevertheless,  still  retain 
that  fine  air  which  the  architects  of  the  past 

208 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa 


209 


managed  so  well  to  impart  to  the  houses  of 
the  aristocracy.  Everything  had  been  exe- 
cuted on  a  grand  plan  in  this  beautiful  old 
palace.  Its  marble  staircase,  ornamented 
with  columns  and  a  groined  ceiling,  was 
sufficiently  broad  to  allow  at  least  half-a- 
dozen  people  to  ascend  it  abreast ;  its  landings, 
looking  on  to  a  little  central  courtyard,  were 
spacious,  and  as  though  made  for  pleasant 
converse  on  hot  summer  days  ;  whilst  its 
apartments,  with  those  beautiful  painted 
ceilings  which  are  a  feature  of  Italian  houses, 
were  lofty  and  majestic.  Two  antique  marble 
busts,  standing  on  pedestals  within  niches, 
adorned  the  first  landing  :  one  representing 
Vanity,  the  other  Modesty  ;  and  the  first  to 
be  seen  on  entering  was  the  former,  in  order 
that  you  might  be  warned  against  falling  into 
this  particular  sin  and  turn  on  to  the  safer 
path  indicated  by  Modestia.  On  leaving,  as 
on  entering,  the  house,  you  were  reminded  of 
your  duty  in  life  by  a  little  statuette  of  the 
Virgin,  with  outstretched  open  arms,  placed 
in  a  niche  above  an  archway,  and  noticeable 
only  to  those  descending  the  staircase. 

The  surroundings  of  this  palace  were  no 
less  charming  than  its  interior.    The  principal 

fa9ade  faced  a  little  piazza ^  enclosed  by  other 
14— (2230) 


210  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


ancient  houses  and  the  rear  of  the  very  old 
church  of  San  Pietro  a  Banchi,  built  over  a 
block  of  small  shops,  occupied,  owing  to  their 
proximity  to  the  Stock  Exchange,  principally 
by  stockbrokers  and  money-changers  ;  and 
the  windows  of  the  other  fronts,  including  those 
of  our  own  rooms,  looked  on  to  the  famous 
Palazzo  San  Giorgio,  its  embattlements,  orna- 
m^ented  with  red  painted  crosses,  and  its  double- 
belled  campanile,  a  portion  of  the  harbour^ 
ever  crowded  with  vessels,  and  one  side  of  the 
semicircle  of  hills  which  enclose  the  city. 

Surroundings  were  never  better  adapted 
for  putting  a  person  of  antiquarian  tastes  into 
tune.  So,  filled  with  the  right  spirit,  we 
daily  set  forth  on  our  rambles,  wandering 
among  the  narrow  vicoli  of  the  old  quarters 
of  the  city,  tarrying  now  and  then  to  look  up 
at  shrines  or  bas-reliefs,  or  else  to  admire  the 
beauty  of  the  carving  of  a  Renaissance  door- 
way, straying  on  to  quiet  piazze,  visiting 
churches  and  palaces,  exploring  the  court- 
yards and  cloisters  of  venerable  buildings  once 
devoted  to  ecclesiastical  purposes,  but  now 
split  up  into  tenements,  and,  whilst  intent  on 
these  delightful  relics  of  the  past,  endeavour- 
ing to  realise  some  of  the  principal  epochs  in 
the  history  of  Genoa. 


Renaissance  Doorway,  Old  Genoa 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  211 


Our  plan  of  campaign  is  summed  up  in  a 
phrase  which  was  used  by  the  Antiquary  when 
we  were  talking  over  this  subject  of  excursions 
— Let  the  stones  of  Genoa  tell  her  story  " — 
and  as  far  as  it  was  possible  to  read  the 
history  of  the  city  in  her  existing  buildings 
we  kept  to  this  excellent  programme. 

We  studied^  too,  not  only  the  buildings  but 
their  inhabitants  ;  and  it  is  difficult  to  say 
which  we  found  the  more  fascinating  object 
of  inquiry.  The  character  of  the  Genoese 
was  long  ago  summed  up  by  Froissart,  and 
my  sojourn  among  them  has  been  sufficiently 
long  to  enable  me  to  discover  that  to  a  great 
extent  his  judgment  still  holds  good.  The 
people  of  Genoa/'  he  said,  ''are  generous- 
hearted  and  prompt  in  action.  Nobody  is 
capable  of  going  so  far  as  they,  nor  is  ready 
to  accept  so  many  risks  as  they  do.  In  all 
maritime  matters  they  are  more  powerful 
than  the  Venetians,  and  the  Mussulman  fears 
and  respects  them  more  than  any  other  people 
of  the  sea.*' 

If  you  were  to  ask  any  true  Genoese — that 
is  to  say,  one  who  has  not  only  been  bred  and 
born  in  Genoa,  but  is  able  to  trace  his  family 
in  that  city  at  least  a  generation — to  name 
the  finest  of  the  many  monuments  which  his 


212  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


ancestors  have  raised  to  the  glory  of  the 
capital  of  Liguria,  he  would,  unless  I  am 
greatly  mistaken,  unhesitatingly  reply,  II 
porto."  No  one  who  has  read  the  history  of 
Genoa  would  be  surprised  at  this  answer,  or, 
considering  the  enormous  sacrifices  which 
have  been  made  for  the  port,  would  doubt  its 
correctness.  Judging  the  works  of  man  not 
merely  from  the  point  of  view  of  aesthetics 
(as  we  are  sometimes  so  apt  to  do),  but  from 
the  broader  standpoint  of  the  extent  to  which 
they  represent  his  ideals,  the  port  of  Genoa — 
the  largest  in  Italy — undoubtedly  far  sur- 
passes in  grandeur  any  of  those  other  monu- 
ments of  human  industry  for  which  this  fine 
city  is  celebrated.  Whereas  its  churches  and 
palaces  are  the  result  of  the  work  of  merely 
a  few  individuals,  its  port  is  the  outcome  of 
centuries  of  continuous  effort  on  the  part  of 
an  entire  population  :  the  one  thing  on  which 
the  collective  mind  has  never  ceased  to  be 
bent  ever  since  the  foundation  of  the  city. 

Looking  at  this  great  port  from  any  of  the 
many  points  of  vantage  offered  by  the  semi- 
circle of  hills  at  whose  base  the  city  stands, 
one  can  well  understand  the  pride  with  which 
all  classes  of  Genoese  society  regard  it. 
Most  eloquent  and  impressive  is  the  sight 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  213 


of  the  extensive  harbour,  with  its  many  moles 
running  out  into  the  sea,  its  huge  warehouses 
stretching  along  the  docks,  and  its  multitude 
of  vessels  of  all  sizes,  from  the  transatlantic 
to  the  row-boat.  But  it  is  when  you  see  it 
nearer  at  hand,  or,  better  still,  when  you 
inspect  it  in  detail,  that  you  fully  comprehend 
the  commercial  importance  of  the  port  of 
Genoa.  It  is  then  that  you  fully  realise  the 
truth  of  Froissart's  words,  and  can  under- 
stand the  reason  for  the  activity  of  the  Genoese 
of  to-day  ;  their  grim  determination  to  retain 
the  benefits  resulting  from  centuries  of  work. 

Although  Genoa,  owing  to  its  geographical 
advantages,  manifested  a  desire  to  be  a  naval 
and  commercial  power  long  before  the  tenth 
century,  the  origin  of  her  present  maritime 
greatness  may  be  said  to  date  back  to  the 
days  when  the  Norman  and  Saracen  pirates 
began  to  make  their  predatory  descents  on 
the  coast  towns  of  Liguria.  These  attacks 
had  so  important  an  effect  from  the  point  of 
view  of  her  development  that  it  will  be  well 
to  enumerate  them.  They  started  in  860 
with  the  capture  and  destruction  of  Luni,  and 
were  followed  up  in  918  and  934  by  invasions 
nearer  Genoa.  But  the  Saracens  on  the  latter 
occasion,  partly  through  rough  weather,  partly 


214  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


owing  to  the  stout  resistance  of  the  Genoese, 
who  captured  seventeen  of  their  vessels,  were 
obUged  to  abandon  the  expedition  and  return 
to  their  quarters  in  Sicily.  Two  years  later, 
however,  they  returned,  and  a  great  engage- 
ment was  fought  in  which  two  thousand 
Saracens  were  killed.  Undaunted  and 
strengthened  by  fresh  vessels,  the  survivors 
renewed  their  efforts,  and  this  time  they 
were  successful.  Genoa  was  sacked  and  a 
large  number  of  citizens  were  carried  off. 
The  Saracens,  however,  had  yet  to  face  the 
Genoese  fleet,  which  was  away  from  home 
at  the  time  of  the  attack.  On  returning  and 
learning  the  news,  the  Genoese  set  off  in 
pursuit  of  the  enemy,  met  them  off  the  coast 
of  Sardinia  and  severely  defeated  them. 

Such  were  the  preliminary  skirmishes  which 
preceded  the  long  efforts  made  by  Genoa  and 
her  allies  to  rid  the  Mediterranean  of  these 
dreaded  pirates.  The  Saracens  had  strongly 
established  themselves  in  Spain  and  Southern 
Italy,  and  after  their  descent  on  Sardinia,  in 
1015,  under  the  leadership  of  Mogehid,  the 
finding  of  a  means  of  putting  an  end  to  their 
incursions  became  more  and  more  imperative. 
The  initiative  was  taken  by  Benedict  VIII, 
who,  in  the  year  following  the  occupation  of 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  215 


Sardinia,  sent  his  legate  to  Genoa  and  Pisa 
with  an  offer  of  the  sovereignty  of  the  island 
to  whosoever  would  liberate  it  from  the 
Saracens.  The  naval  forces  of  the  allied 
Republics  immediately  sailed  for  Sardinia 
and  defeated  Mogehid  ;  then,  in  1034,  they 
attacked  and  occupied  Bona  on  the  African 
coast ;  and  it  is  probable,  too,  that  at  this 
time  the  Genoese,  partly  for  love  of  their  faith, 
but  more,  I  suspect,  on  account  of  a  desire 
to  crush  a  commercial  rival,  began  their 
attacks — the  prelude  of  the  Crusades — on  the 
Mussulmans.  In  answer  to  a  further  appeal 
which  was  made  by  Pope  Victor  III,  the 
Genoese,  Pisans,  Amalfians,  and  other  Italian 
confederacies  entered,  in  1087,  on  a  fresh 
expedition,  occupied  Zawila  and  the  Penin- 
sula of  Mehdia,  between  the  Gulfs  of  Ham- 
mametand  Cabes,  killed  one  hundred  thousand 
Saracens,  and  forced  the  Kings  of  Tripoli  and 
Tunis  to  pay  tribute  to  the  Holy  Father.  Prince 
Temin  was  forced  to  pay  an  indemnity  of 
half  a  milHon  lire,  to  liberate  all  the  Italians 
who  had  been  taken  prisoner,  and,  in  addition 
to  other  privileges,  to  grant  the  Genoese  and 
Pisans  freedom  from  customs  duties. 

The  crushing  of  the  power  of  the  Saracens 
was  but  the  first  step,  however,  in  the  march 


216  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


of  the  Genoese  towards  commercial  supremacy 
in  the  Mediterranean  ;  for  these  expeditions 
against  the  barbarian  were  partly  responsible 
for  the  long  fratricidal  wars  which  took  place 
between  Genoa,  Pisa,  and  Venice,  each  of 
whom  had  risen  to  maritime  greatness  on 
the  ruins  of  other  powers.  The  jealousy 
between  Genoa  and  Pisa  dated  back  to  the 
days  of  Charlemagne,  when  the  port  of  the 
former  began  to  gain  ground  over  that  of  the 
latter,  but  the  pretext  for  the  first  of  the 
wars  between  the  two  Republics  was  the 
Island  of  Corsica,  which  was  claimed  by  the 
Church  as  part  of  the  dominion  of  St.  Peter. 
Under  the  instigation  of  the  Pope  and 
Countess  Matilda  of  Corsica,  the  Pisans  took 
possession  of  the  island,  but  were  defeated  by 
the  Genoese.  Peace  was  made  in  1133,  but 
the  war  again  broke  out  and  was  continued, 
at  intervals,  until  as  late  as  1290,  when  the 
power  of  the  Pisans  was  definitely  destroyed 
by  Corrado  Doria.  The  growing  commercial 
importance  of  Genoa  in  the  East,  the  result 
of  the  prominent  part  she  had  taken  in  the 
Crusades,  was  likewise  the  cause  of  trouble 
with  Venice. 

But  war  is  ever  a  costly  luxury,  and  the 
building  up  of  the  commercial  greatness  of 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  217 


the  port  of  Genoa  caused  a  serious  drain  on 
the  financial  resources  of  the  Republic.  The 
issuing  of  various  loans,  guaranteed  by  the 
customs  and  other  profits  of  the  State,  greatly 
increased  the  public  debt.  The  internal 
troubles  of  the  Republic,  which  began  about 
the  middle  of  the  twelfth  century,  made  the 
burden  still  heavier.  Each  of  the  great 
families  of  the  city  was  anxious  to  hold  the 
reins  of  office.  The  Fieschis  and  the  Grim- 
aldis,  the  leaders  of  the  Guelf  party,  were  in 
constant  conflict  with  the  Spinolas  and  the 
Dorias,  the  heads  of  the  Ghibelline  faction. 
First  one  and  then  the  other  was  in  power. 
Fighting  in  the  streets  and  on  the  piazze  of 
the  city,  and  treachery  in  all  its  forms  were 
common  incidents  ;  and  these  disturbances, 
costly  not  only  in  money  but  in  human  life, 
lasted  until  the  beginning  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  when  the  Republic  at  last  entered 
on  a  spell  of  peace  and  prosperity. 

War  and  internal  strife  had,  then,  led  to 
financial  difficulties,  and  at  the  opening  of 
the  fifteenth  century,  when  the  Republic, 
unable  to  manage  its  own  affairs,  had  had 
recourse  to  the  foreigner,  the  Banco  di  San 
Giorgio  began  to  play  its  very  important 
part  in  the  history  of  Genoa.    This  extremely 


218  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


interesting  building,  which  was  built  in  1260 
by  a  monk  named  Oliviero  to  serve  as  a 
residence  for  Guglielmo  Boccanegra,  the 
captain  of  the  Republic,  and  his  successors, 
became  the  headquarters  of  the  representa- 
tives of  the  holders  of  Government  bonds, 
who  had  been  grouped  by  Marshal  Boucicault, 
the  French  Governor,  assisted  by  a  council 
of  shareholders,  into  a  body  known  as  the 
Compere  di  San  Giorgio.  The  rate  of  interest 
was  fixed  at  seven  per  cent.,  and  to  a  board 
of  administration  appointed  by  the  creditors 
the  Government  conceded  for  a  given  number 
of  years  the  collection  of  certain  indirect 
customs.  Up  to  1539  the  Republic's  debt 
to  the  Bank  was  redeemable,  but  in  that 
year,  by  means  of  an  operation  known  as  the 
Magno  contralto  di  consolidazione,  it  became 
perpetual,  with  the  result  that  the  value  of 
the  shares  in  the  Banco  di  San  Giorgio 
increased  enormously.  As  shown  by  Machia- 
velli,  who  refers  in  his  Istorie  Fiorentine^ 
to  the  foundation  and  work  of  this  institution, 
the  bank  was  at  one  and  the  same  time  a 
banking  establishment,  a  bank  of  deposit, 
and  a  farmer  of  a  portion  of  the  revenues  of 
the  State.    At  the  same  time  it  was  also  a 

1  Libro  ottavo,  XXIX. 


Rambles  ?n  Ancient  (jrenoa  219 


political  body,  since  the  Republic  had  at 
various  times  conceded  territories  to  it  ; 
and  thus  it  was  that  the  Banco  di  San  Giorgio 
held  the  sovereignty  of  Sarzana,  Castelnuovo, 
Ventimiglia,  and  other  places  along  the  Riviera, 
of  the  Genoese  colonies  in  the  Black  Sea,  and 
of  the  Island  of  Corsica.  The  different 
branches  of  this  bank  were  admirably 
administered  :  infinitely  better  so  than  the 
departments  of  the  Republic,  which  had  more 
than  once  to  appeal  for  its  help.  The  Banco 
di  San  Giorgio  was,  indeed,  a  model  estab- 
lishment, and  in  visiting  it  you  should  not 
forget  that  its  methods  as  a  bank  were 
universally  adopted,  and  that  it  laid  down  the 
principles  which  are  at  the  base  of  all  our 
modern  joint-stock  companies.  It  continued 
its  work  until  the  Revolution  of  1797,  when  all 
its  rights  and  privileges  were  revoked.  The 
Palazzo  di  San  Giorgio  and  its  adjoining 
buildings  then  returned  to  the  State.  They 
are  now  the  headquarters  of  a  new  adminis- 
tration, the  Consorzio  Autonomo  del  Porto, 
which  has  been  in  operation  since  1903,  and 
the  object  of  which  is  to  carry  out  various 
work  connected  with  the  extension  and 
improvement  of  the  port. 
A    number    of     statues,     busts,  and 


220  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


commemorative  tablets  are  to  be  seen  in  the 
corridor,  Sala  di  Festa,  and  other  rooms  of 
the  Palazzo.  These,  which  date  from  1453 
to  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,  are 
in  memory  of  those  citizens  of  Genoa  who 
abandoned  their  shares  in  the  Banco  di  San 
Giorgio  in  favour  of  the  Republic.  A  legacy 
of  25,000  Hre  gave  the  donator  the  right  to 
a  tablet,  one  of  50,000  lire  to  a  bust,  and  one 
of  100,000  lire  to  a  statue :  surely  very 
reasonable  charges  to  those  who  desired  to 
be  immortalized  ! 

The  first  of  the  churches  of  Genoa  which 
we  visited  was  San  Siro,  since  it  was  there 
that  the  people  of  the  city  used  to  assemble  in 
the  Middle  Ages  and  appoint  their  repre- 
sentatives. Guglielmo  Boccanegra  was  elected 
Captain  of  the  People  there  in  1257,  after 
the  resignation  and  flight  of  Filippo  Delia 
Torre,  whose  period  of  office  as  Podesta  had 
been  marked  by  gross  corruption  ;  and 
Simone  Boccanegra,  in  1339,  Doge.  But  a 
more  picturesque  event  than  either  of  these 
took  place  in  this  church,  originally  the 
Cathedral  of  Genoa  and  the  first  residence 
of  her  Archbishops — the  enrolling  of  those 
wealthy  citizens  who  set  out  in  July,  1097, 
on  the  first  Crusade.    Genoa  played  a  very 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  221 


important  part  in  the  expeditions  to  the 
East,  and  whether  out  of  pure  love  of  the 
Faith  is  to  be  doubted.  One  of  the  first  in 
the  field,  she  took  good  care  to  secure  an 
ample  reward  for  the  use  of  her  ships,  men, 
and  money,  and  whilst  others  had  to  be 
satisfied  with  honour  and  glory,  secured 
concessions  and  privileges  which  gave  her  a 
foremost  place  in  the  commerce  of  the  East. 
Between  1100  and  1500 — the  most  brilliant 
period  in  her  history — her  colonial  expansion 
was  extraordinary.  She  obtained  dominion 
either  entirely  or  partly  over  Antioch,  Mal- 
mistra,  Solino,  Laodicea,  Tortosa,  Tripoli, 
Jaffa,  Caesarea,  Beirut,  Ascalon,  Acri,  and  a 
district  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Jerusalem. 

On  their  way  home  after  the  First  Crusade, 
the  Genoese  took  the  town  of  Mirrea,  in  Asia 
Minor,  and  finding  the  ashes  of  John  the 
Baptist  there,  brought  them  back  to  Genoa, 
where,  in  the  Cathedral  of  San  Lorenzo,  they 
are  still  venerated.  The  reliquary  in  which 
they  are  enclosed  is  of  silver,  and  it  is  said 
that  fifteen  years  were  employed  by  Teramo 
di  Danielo,  a  goldsmith  of  Porto  Maurizio, 
and  Simone  Caldera  in  fashioning  it  :  a 
statement  which  one  can  well  believe  when 
we  examine  the  intricate  and  delicate  work 


222  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


of  this  masterpiece  of  the  fifteenth  century. 
The  ecclesiastical  treasures  of  the  Cathedral 
of  Genoa  are  particularly   numerous  and 
valuable.    From  the  historical  point  of  view 
one  of  the  most  interesting  is  a  hexagonal 
basin,  with  two  handles,  which  was  also  part 
of  the  booty  brought  home  from  Caesarea 
and  other  places  by  Guglielmo  Embriaco. 
This  catino  is  said  to  have  been  given  to 
Solomon  by  the  Queen  of  Sheba,  and  to  have 
been  used  by  Christ  when  He  ate  the  paschal 
lamb.    It  was  for  a  long  time  thought  to 
be   made   of   emerald,   but   Napoleon,  by 
sending  it  to  Paris  to  be  examined  by  members 
of  the  Institute  of  France,  proved  that  it 
was  merely  coloured  glass.    He,  therefore, 
returned  it,  shattered  into  fragments  ;  natur- 
ally much  to  the  disgust  of  the  Genoese,  who 
were  not  only  given  the  trouble  of  putting 
it  together  again,  but  were  also  obliged  to 
confess  that  one  of  their  pet  beliefs  had  been 
undermined. 

The  architecture  of  San  Lorenzo,  which  is 
believed  to  have  been  built  on  the  ruins  of 
the  house  in  which  St.  Lawrence  lived  when 
he  arrived  in  Genoa  on  his  way  from  Spain 
to  Rome,  displays,  owing  to  the  various 
alterations  which  the  building  has  undergone, 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  223 


three  distinct  styles  :  the  Romanesque,  the 
French  Gothic,  and  the  Renaissance.  The 
fagade  and  tower  are  constructed  of  alternate 
courses  of  black  and  white  marble,  and  the 
portal,  which,  with  all  the  lower  part  of  the 
principal  front,  dates  from  the  thirteenth 
century,  is  adorned  with  a  mass  of  beautiful 
sculpture.  San  Lorenzo  is,  from  all  points 
of  view,  the  finest  of  the  thirty-seven  churches 
of  Genoa,  yet,  curious  to  say,  it  was  not  the 
one  which  moved  me  most.  Its  interest  was 
too  exclusively  artistic  to  suit  the  mood  of 
a  searcher  after  the  stirring,  living  incidents 
of  history. 

But  in  the  case  of  San  Matteo  it  was 
different.  Here  was  a  church  and  a  little 
piazza  bearing  its  name,  which  told  us  a 
definite  story.  Every  one  of  its  stones  and 
those  of  the  houses  forming  the  other  three 
sides  of  the  square,  might  be  said  to  cry  the 
name  of  Doria.  The  church  was  built  by 
one  of  the  members  of  this  great  family, 
Martino  Doria,  in  1125,  and  its  fagade  is 
covered  with  inscriptions  recalling  some  of 
the  great  deeds  of  the  Dorias  :  a  history  of 
Genoa  in  little,  as  it  were,  so  prominent  is 
their  position  in  the  annals  of  the  city. 
The  great  Andrea  Doria  was  responsible  for 


224  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


much  of  the  decoration  of  San  Matteo. 
About  1534  he  summoned  MontorsoH,  one 
of  the  pupils  of  Michael  Angelo,  to  Genoa,  and 
entrusted  him  with  many  commissions  for 
statues  and  tombs  and  altars.  In  fact,  almost 
the  whole  of  the  sculpture  in  this  church  is 
the  work  of  Montorsoli  and  the  assistants 
whom  he  brought  with  him  from  Florence. 
In  addition  to  Andrea,  whose  sword  hangs 
above  the  high  altar,  many  of  the  Dorias 
were  buried  here,  notably  Giannettino  Doria, 
who  was  assassinated  on  January  2nd,  1547, 
by  the  partisans  of  Gian  Luigi  Fieschi ; 
Filippo  Doria  ;  and  Giovanni  Andrea  Doria  I. 

To  the  left  of  the  church  are  the  ancient 
cloisters  of  San  Matteo,  one  of  those  delightful 
old-world  spots  where,  cut  off  from  the  noise 
and  bustle  of  the  city,  it  is  so  pleasant  to 
stroll  and  meditate.  Slender  columns  in 
pairs  support  the  roof  of  this  graceful  quadri- 
lateral, which  dates  from  the  beginning  of 
the  fourteenth  century  ;  here  and  there,  let 
into  the  walls,  are  ancient  inscriptions  relat- 
ing to  the  Dorias  ;  near  one  of  the  corners 
is  an  ancient  sculptured  niche,  in  which  there 
once  stood  a  statue — or  was  a  fountain  placed 
there  ? — and  on  the  walls,  too,  are  traces  of 
one-time  beautiful  sculpture.  .  .  .  But  what 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  225 


are  these  two  huge  mutilated  statues,  the  ghnt 
of  whose  white  marble  we  saw  when  looking 
between  the  columns  on  to  the  little  central 
garden  planted  with  orange  and  lemon  trees  ? 
What  story  do  they  tell  ?  Still  that  of  the 
Dorias  ?  .  .  .  Yes ;  and  its  sequel.  They 
are  all  that  remain  of  the  two  fine  statues  of 
Andrea  Doria  and  Gian  Andrea  Doria — one 
the  work  of  Montorsoli  and  the  other  that  of 
Taddeo  Carlone — which  stood  on  either  side 
of  the  staircase  of  the  Palazzo  Ducale.  In 
1797,  under  the  influence  of  the  French 
Revolution,  the  Genoese  were  seized  with  a 
desire  to  overthrow  their  old  regime  and  to 
obliterate  whatever  reminded  them  of  their 
great  aristocratic  families  :  those  very  things 
in  which  they  now  take  the  most  pride. 
Genoa  became,  on  a  small  scale,  what  Paris 
was  during  the  fanatical  period  of  the  Revo- 
lution. Trees  of  Liberty  were  planted, 
tawdry  and  extravagant  symbolical  proces- 
sions promenaded  through  the  streets,  angry 
crowds  rushed  along  calling  for  vengeance  on 
the  aristocracy,  and  bands  of  masons,  em- 
ployed by  the  provisional  democratic  govern- 
ment, went  from  place  to  place  destroying 
the  coats  of  arms  or  any  other  aristocratic 

badges  which  they  could  find.    One  of  these 

15— (2230) 


226  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


gangs  of  vandals  attacked  the  Archives  and, 
carrying  off  the  lihro  d'oro  containing  the 
names  of  the  leading  Genoese  famihes,  burnt 
it,  together  with  the  Doge's  sedan-chair,  on 
the  Piazza  dell'  Acquaverde,  then  christened 
the  Piazza  della  Liberta  ;  another  stormed 
the  Palazzo  Ducale  and  shattered  the  statues 
of  the  Dorias. 

Many  of  the  Dorias  occupied  the  palaces 
facing  the  Piazza  San  Matteo,  and  one  of 
these  houses,  faced  with  alternate  courses  of 
black  and  yellow  marble  (a  sign,  whenever 
you  see  it,  that  the  dwelling  is  one  which 
belonged  to  an  aristocratic  family),  bears  the 
following  inscription  of  1528  :  Senat.  Cons. 
Andreae  de  Oria,  patriae  liberatori  munus 
publicum."  The  Renaissance  doorways  of 
the  houses  of  this  square  are  also  especially 
noteworthy. 

It  is  one's  bounden  duty,  after  seeing  San 
Matteo  and  its  cloisters,  to  visit  the  Palazzo 
Doria-Pamphily  on  the  Piazza  Principe. 
Architecturally,  there  are  many  better  pre- 
served palaces  than  this  in  Genoa,  and  some 
contain   much   finer   works   of   art,  ^  but, 

^  The  palaces  of  Genoa  are  so  numerous,  and  from  an 
architectural  point  of  view  so  important,  that  I  cannot 
hope  to  do  more  than  give  the  names  of  the  principal  ones. 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  227 


historically,  the  palazzo  which  the  Republic 
presented  to  Andrea  Doria  in  1522,  takes 
precedence  over  them  all.  A  great  part  of 
this  fine  palace,  which,  before  it  came  into 
the  hands  of  the  Dorias,  was  occupied  by  the 
Fregosos,  is  now  taken  up  by  apartments  and 
offices,  but  the  principal  portion,  containing 
what  is  historically  and  artistically  of  value, 
has  been  preserved  by  the  elder  branch  of 
the  Doria  family,  making  it  quite  possible, 
with  the  aid  of  the  beautiful  old  garden 

the  periods  at  which  they  were  built,  the  names  of  their 
architects  or  those  of  the  famihes  who  had  them  built, 
and  their  chief  features  of  interest.  There  are  no  fewer  than 
twenty-five  of  these  great  buildings,  and  all  might  well  be 
visited  by  a  person  of  leisure.  But  a  visit  to  the  following 
nine  is  indispensable  :  Palazzo  Ducale,  facing  the  Piazza 
Umberto  I,  begun  about  the  end  of  the  thirteenth  century, 
in  accordance  with  the  plans  of  Marino  Boccanegra,  and 
completed  in  the  sixteenth  century,  noted  for  its  statues 
and  pictures,  including  one  of  Andrea  Doria  refusing  the 
sovereignty  of  Genoa  ;  Palazzo  Cataldi,  4  Via  Garibaldi, 
built  about  1 560  by  Bernardo  Castello  for  Tobia  Pallavicini 
and  containing  a  number  of  rather  remarkable  frescoes  ; 
Palazzo  Spinola,  6  Via  Garibaldi,  built  about  the  end  of 
the  sixteenth  century  and  decorated  with  paintings  by 
Bernardo  Castello  ;  Palazzo  Rosso,  18,  Via  Garibaldi,  built 
in  1616  by  Bartholomeo  Bianco  and  Carradi,  presented  to 
the  City  of  Genoa  in  1874  by  the  Marchese  Maria  Brignole- 
Sale,  and  containing  works  of  the  highest  order  by  Vandyke, 
Guido  Reni,  Veronese,  Van  Ostade,  Tintoretto,  and  many 
other  great  masters  ;  Palazzo  Bianco,  13  Via  Garibaldi, 
built  in  1565  by  Giovanni  and  Domenico  Ponzelli  for  Nicolo 
Grimaldi,  and  bequeathed  to  the  City  by  the  Duchess 


228  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


which  stretches  towards  the  port,  in  front 
of  the  courtyard  and  its  terrace,  to  throw 
oneself  back  to  the  days  of  the  great  admiral. 
Whatever  may  be  one's  opinion  of  Andrea 
Doria's  ability  as  a  statesman — and  there 
are  many  who  blame  him  for  having  brought 
Genoa  under  the  domination  of  Spain,  no  one 
denies  his  bravery  and  skill  as  a  soldier,  his 
genuine  love  of  the  Republic,  his  keen 
appreciation  of  the  arts,  and  his  gift  (by  no 
means  a  common  quality)  of  making  himself 
beloved  and  respected  of  the  people.    He  is 

Deferrari-Galliera  with  its  contents,  which  include  a  large 
number  of  pictures  by  the  great  masters,  statues  and 
autograph  letters  of  Andrea  Doria,  Columbus,  Garibaldi, 
Mazzini  and  others  ;  Palazzo  Civico  or  Doria-Tursi,  9  Via 
Garibaldi,  built  in  1560  for  the  Grimaldi  family  by  Rocco 
Lurago,  and  noted  for  its  many  finely  decorated  rooms 
and  their  contents,  including  Paganini's  violin  and  bow, 
this  celebrated  violinist  being  a  Ligurian,  and  trained  by 
the  Genoese  violinist  Costa  ;  Palazzo  dell'  Universita,  5 
Via  Balbi,  built  in  1623  by  Bartholomeo  Bianco  for  the 
Jesuit  Paolo  Balbi,  and  now  used  as  the  headquarters  of 
the  University  of  Genoa  ;  Palazzo  Balbi-Senarega,  4  Via 
Balbi,  built  about  the  bsginning  of  the  seventeenth  century 
also  in  accordance  with  the  plans  of  Bianco,  but  enlarged 
and  perfected  some  time  later  by  Pier  Antonio  Corradi, 
and  containing  works  by  Michael  Angelo,  Reni,  Titian, 
Vandyke,  Guercino,  Tintoretto,  Holbein,  and  other  masters  ; 
and  the  Palazzo  Durazzo,  1  Via  Balbi,  built  during  the 
seventeenth  century  by  Bianco  for  the  Pallavicini  family, 
and  remarkable  for  its  works  by  Vandyke,  Reni,  Rubens, 
Veronese,  Ruysdael,  and  others. 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  229 


certainly  by  far  the  most  picturesque  figure 
of  sixteenth-century  Genoa,  and  the  Palazzo 
Doria-Pamphily  enables  one  to  picture  him 
in  the  prime  of  his  life.    He  was  under  forty 
when  the  Palazzo  Fregoso  was  given  to  him, 
as  a  reward  for  his  services  to  the  Republic, 
and  barely  half  his  years  had  run  out.  In 
the  year   following  that  in  which  he  rid 
Liguria  of  the  French  and  transferred  his 
services  to  Charles  V  of  Spain  (1528),  he  had 
the  building  remodelled  by  Montorsoli  and 
employed  Perino  del  Vaga,  a  pupil  of  Raphael 
who  had  been  exiled  from  Rome  in  1527 
and  had  sought  the  protection  of  the  Dorias, 
to  decorate  the  ceilings  and  corridors  with 
paintings.    The  frescoes  on  the  ceiling  of  the 
vestibule,  representing  scenes  from  Roman 
history,  are  his  work,  as  well  as  those  on  the 
ceihng  of  the  marble  staircase  which  leads  to 
a  corridor  on  the  first  floor  of  the  palace. 
It  is  this  gallery,  however,  which  contains 
the  most  interesting  of  Perino  del  Vaga's 
much  admired  works  :   a  series  of  portraits 
of  the  Doges  of  the  Doria  family,  including 
one  of  Andrea  himself,  who  in  all  his  Ukenesses 
appears  with  a  beard.    There  is  a  portrait  of 
him  in  one  of  the  rooms  on  the  first  floor  which 
is  even  more  interesting  than  Vaga's  work, 


230  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


since  it  represents  the  great  man,  not  in 
allegorical  trappings,  but  in  the  character  of 
an  old  man  fond  of  his  home  and  his  cat. 
From  the  point  of  view  of  technique  this 
picture  of  Andrea  Doria  seated  in  a  long- 
backed  chair  facing  his  pet  is  far  inferior  to 
the  other  portrait,  but  to  us  it  was  by  far 
the  more  interesting  of  the  two,  since  it 
revealed  the  domestic  and  less  known  side 
of  the  sitter's  character.  Andrea  was  a  great 
lover  of  animals,  and  his  affection  for  a 
certain  large  white  dog  which  was  presented 
to  him  by  Charles  V  is  a  matter  of  history. 
There  is  a  picture  of  this  dog,  the  Gran 
Roedano "  as  he  was  called,  in  the  same 
room  as  that  in  which  the  one  of  Andrea 
and  his  cat  hangs  ;  and  such  was  the  love 
which  his  master  bore  him  that  when  he  died 
he  was  granted  the  honour  of  burial  in  the 
palace  gardens  at  the  base  of  a  statue  of 
Jupiter.  The  monument  which  marks  the 
resting-place  of  the  Gran  Roedano  stands 
in  a  portion  of  the  grounds  of  the  Palazzo 
Doria-Pamphily,  which  is  now  cut  off  from 
the  house  by  the  street  and  the  railway .  Many 
other  works  of  art  are  to  be  seen  in  the  rooms 
of  the  former  residence  of  Andrea  Doria,  such 
as  the  carved  mantelpiece  in  black  stone,  a 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  231 


table  inlaid  with  marble  of  various  colours,  a 
bronze  door-knocker  chiselled  by  Benvenuto 
Cellini,  several  fine  mirrors  with  carved, 
gilded  frames,  a  picture  representing  the 
marriage  of  Arduino  di  Beuland  with  a 
member  of  the  Doria  family,  two  exquisite 
statuettes  of  sleeping  children  in  white 
marble  by  Montorsoli,  and  a  crucifix  by  the 
wood-carver  Maragliano.  In  the  centre  of 
the  gardens,  facing  the  port,  is  a  fountain 
with  a  figure  of  Andrea  Doria  in  the  role  of 
Neptune.  These  gardens,  though  not  as 
well  kept  as  they  might  be,  are  very  charming, 
with  their  shady  walks  and  pieces  of  sculpture 
placed  here  and  there  amongst  the  greenery, 
and  from  a  raised  terrace  a  pleasant  view  of 
the  port  can  be  obtained — a  view  upon  which 
the  great  Doge  of  Genoa,  with  his  love  of 
ships  and  the  sea,  must  often  have  gazed  in 
his  old  age  with  feelings  of  mingled  regret  and 
admiration. 

The  way  lay  through  the  main  streets, 
but  not  through  the  Strada  Nuova,  ^  or  the 
Strada  Balbi,  which  are  the  famous  streets 
of  palaces.    I  never,  in  my  life,  was  so 

1  Now  the  Via  Garibaldi. 


232  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


dismayed  !    The  wonderful  novelty  of  every- 
thing, the  unusual  smells,  the  unaccountable 
filth  (though  it  is  reckoned  the  cleanest  of 
Italian  towns),  the  disorderly  jumbling  of 
dirty  houses,  one  upon  the  roof  of  another  ; 
the  passages  more  squalid  and  more  close  than 
any  in  Saint  Giles's,  or  old  Paris  :  in  and  out 
of  which,  not  vagabonds,  but  well-dressed 
women,  with  white  veils  and  great  fans,  were 
passing  and  repassing  ;  the  perfect  absence  of 
resemblance  in  any  dwelling-house,  or  shop,  or 
wall,  or  post,  or  pillar,  to  anything  one  had 
ever  seen  before  ;  and  the  disheartening  dirt, 
discomfort,  and  decay  ;  perfectly  confounded 
me.    I  fell  into  a  dismal  reverie.    I  am 
conscious  of  a  feverish  and  bewildering  vision 
of  saints  and  virgins'  shrines  at  the  street 
corners — of  great  numbers  of  friars,  monks, 
and  soldiers — of  vast  red  curtains,  waving  in 
the  doorways  of  the  churches — of  always 
going  up  hill,  and  yet  seeing  every  other  street 
and  passage  going  higher  up — of  fruit-stalls, 
with  fresh  lemons  and  oranges  hanging  in 
garlands  made  of  vine-leaves — of  a  guard- 
house and  a  drawbridge — of  some  gateways — 
and  vendors  of  iced  water,  sitting  with  little 
trays  upon  the  margin  of  the  kennel — and 
this  is  all  the  consciousness  I  had,  until  I 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  233 


was  set  down  in  a  rank,  dull,  weedy  courtyard, 
attached  to  a  kind  of  pink  jail  ;  and  was  told 
I  lived  there."  Such  were  Charles  Dickens's 
first  impressions  of  Genoa  ^  when,  in  1844, 
he  was  being  driven  from  the  wharf  to 
Albaro,  the  suburb  where,  bent  on  a  year's 
residence  in  the  city,  he  had  engaged  a  house. 
What  a  change  has  taken  place  in  Genoa 
since  then  !  The  streets  are  no  longer  con- 
spicuous for  their  filth,  to  which  Dickens  is 
ever  referring ;  nor  is  the  city  any  more 
squalid,  or  uncomfortable,  or  decayed  than 
London  or  Paris.  Even  in  the  days  when 
Alphonse  Karr  lived  in  Genoa  the  trans- 
formation had  taken  place,  for  he  writes  in 
his  delightful  Promenades  hors  de  mon  Jardin 
of  the  unusual  cleanliness  of  the  thorough- 
fares. So  clean  were  they  kept  by  the  men 
employed  by  the  city  to  keep  a  constant  eye 
on  the  pulizia  pubblica  that  ladies  could  allow 
their  silken  skirts  to  trail  along  the  ground 
without  fear  of  them  being  soiled.  Ah  I  yes,  I 
would  that  the  streets  of  London  and  Paris 
were  kept  in  as  good  order  as  the  strade  of 
Genoa  (paved  with  heavy  blocks  of  stone,  as 
though  they  were  intended,  like  the  Roman 
roads,   to   last   for   centuries)  are  to-day. 

*  Pictures  from  Italy. 


234  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Since  the  days  of  Dickens,  Italy  has  entered 
on  a  new  lease  of  life,  and  her  great  cities 
have  now  all  the  advantages  which  were 
formerly  principally  confined  to  the  great 
European  capitals.  Magnificent  houses,  pro- 
vided with  everything  that  the  most  exacting 
person,  accustomed  to  the  comforts  of  English 
and  Amierican  homes,  could  demand,  are  to 
be  found  in  the  centre  of  Genoa  or  on  the 
delightful  succession  of  promenades  of  the 
circonvallazione  a  monte^  on  the  hillside,  over- 
looking the  gray  house-tops  of  the  city,  the 
towers  of  its  many  churches,  and  the  harbour. 
The  Genoese  women  no  longer  go  about  with 
great  fans,  and  in  the  old-fashioned  dress 
which  we  used  to  associate  with  backward 
Italian  towns,  but  wear  the  smartest  of 
Parisian  dresses  and  the  largest  of  Parisian 
hats.  On  your  way  to  Albaro  to  see  the 
Villa  Bagnerello  in  which  the  author  of 
David  Copperfield  lived  for  three  months 
(it  is  to  be  found  in  the  Via  San  Nazaro,  and 
on  the  walls  of  the  house  is  a  tablet  bearing 
the  following  inscription  :  "In  questa  villa 
dal  prisco  rosso  delle  sue  mura  Pink  Jail 
ebbe  gradita  dimora  Carlo  Dickens  geniale  e 
profondo  rivelatore  del  sentimento  moderno 
— 1844-1894  ")  you  no  longer  pass  through 


Dickens's  "  Pink  Jail  "  at  Genoa 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  235 


streets  of  squalid  houses,  but  down  the  broad 
Via  XX  Settembre,  past  the  majestic  new 
Stock  Exchange,  built  of  red  granite,  in  front 
of  the  Piazza  Deferrari,  past  spacious  arcades 
with  marble  and  granite  columns,  unequalled 
in  architectural  beauty  by  those  of  any  other 
city  I  have  seen,  and  under  a  monumental 
bridge  which  would  do  honour  even  to  such 
a  city  of  fine  structures  as  Paris.  Albaro, 
too,  is  no  longer  what  it  was.  Dickens  found 
it  mournful  and  disappointing,"  and, 
judging  by  his  amusing  description  of  the 
fleas  and  the  flies  and  the  scorpions  with 
which  he  was  surrounded,  the  Villa  Bagnerello 
can  have  been  anything  but  a  pleasant 
abode."  Albaro  is  now  a  very  agreeable 
suburb.  It  possesses  many  well-built  villas, 
with  fine  gardens  ;  and  the  Lido  d' Albaro, 
where  a  large  place  of  amusement  has  been 
erected,  at  the  edge  of  the  sea,  is  a  favourite 
resort  of  the  Genoese  during  the  carnival 
and  at  all  holiday  times. 

On  further  acquaintance,  Dickens  found 
that  Genoa  was  a  city  that  grows  upon 
you."  He  confesses  that  in  the  course  of 
two  months,  the  flitting  shapes  and  shadows 
of  my  dismal  entering  reverie  gradually 
resolved  themselves  into  familiar  forms  and 


236  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


substances  ;  and  I  already  began  to  think  that 
when  the  time  should  come,  a  year  hence,  for 
closing  the  long  holiday  and  turning  back  to 
England,  I  might  part  from  Genoa  with 
anything  but  a  glad  heart."  As  soon  as  his 
tenancy  of  the  Pink  Jail  at  Albaro  had  ceased, 
he  removed  to  a  house  in  the  Via  Peschiera, 
near  the  Via  Assarotti,  on  high  ground 
above  the  Acquasola  Gardens,  a  house  known 
as  the  Palazzo  Peschiere,  which,  he  says, 
was  then  one  of  the  loveliest  residences  in 
Italy.  It  stands  on  a  height  within  the 
walls  of  Genoa,"  he  writes,  but  aloof  from 
the  town,  surrounded  by  beautiful  gardens 
of  its  own,  adorned  with  statues,  vases, 
fountains,  marble  basins,  terraces,  walks  of 
orange  trees  and  lemon  trees,  groves  of  roses 
and  carnations.  All  its  apartments  are 
beautiful  in  their  proportions  and  decorations ; 
but  the  great  hall,  some  fifty  feet  in  height, 
with  three  large  windows  at  the  end,  over- 
looking the  whole  town  of  Genoa,  the  harbour, 
and  the  neighbouring  sea,  affords  one  of  the 
most  fascinating  and  deHghtful  prospects  in 
the  world.  Any  house  more  cheerful  and 
habitable  than  the  great  rooms  are,  within, 
it  would  be  difficult  to  conceive  ;  and  certainly 
nothing  more  dehcious  than  the  scene  without, 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  237 


in  sunshine  or  in  moonlight,  could  be  imagined. 
It  is  more  like  an  enchanted  palace  in  an 
Eastern  story  than  a  grave  and  sober  dwelling. 
How  you  may  wander  on,  from  room  to  room, 
and  never  tire  of  the  wild  fancies  on  the  walls 
and  ceilings,  as  bright  in  their  fresh  colouring 
as  if  they  had  been  painted  yesterday  ;  or 
how  one  floor,  or  even  the  great  hall  which 
opens  on  eight  other  rooms,  is  a  spacious 
promenade  ;  or  how  there  are  corridors  and 
bed-chambers  above,  which  we  never  use  and 
rarely  visit,  and  scarcely  know  the  way 
through  ;  or  how  there  is  a  view  of  a  per- 
fectly different  character  on  each  of  the  four 
sides  of  the  building  ;  matters  little.  But 
that  prospect  from  the  hall  is  like  a  vision  to 
me.  I  go  back  to  it,  in  fancy,  as  I  have  done 
in  calm  reality  a  hundred  times  a  day ;  and 
stand  there,  looking  out,  with  the  sweet 
scents  of  the  garden  rising  up  about  me,  in 
a  perfect  dream  of  happiness."  When,  lovers 
of  Dickens,  you  go  on  your  pilgrimage  to  the 
palazzo  where  the  great  writer  lived  during 
nine  of  the  happiest  months  of  his  life,  you 
will  find  that  the  Palace  of  the  Fish-ponds 
has  not  quite  as  much  breathing-space  as  it 
once  had,  and  that  it  has  necessarily  somewhat 
changed  in  other  ways  since  1844.    But  you 


238  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


will  understand  the  enthusiasm  with  which 
he  wrote  of  his  home  and  the  old  city 
stretched  out  at  his  feet.  Genoa  had  begun 
to  exercise  her  power  of  fascination  over  him. 
Every  one  succumbs  to  her  after  the  first  few 
weeks.  By  the  time  he  left  Albaro,  Dickens 
was  an  avowed  lover  of  the  city's  narrow 
vicolij  in  which  you  can  lose  your  way 
(what  a  comfort  that  is,  when  you  are  idle  !) 
twenty  times  a  day,  if  you  like  ;  and  turn  up 
again  under  the  most  unexpected  and  sur- 
prising difficulties "  ;  he  was  a  confirmed 
worshipper  of  these  winding  alleys,  in  which, 
at  night  time,  sedan-chairs  (let  out  for  hire 
in  divers  places)  were  trotted  to  and  fro 
in  all  directions,  preceded  by  bearers  of  great 
lanthorns,  made  of  linen  stretched  upon  a 
frame  !  What  a  novelty  it  would  be  to 
see  a  sedan-chair  in  the  vicoli  of  Genoa  to-day  ! 
Yet  you  almost  expect  to  find  one  waiting 
for  you  outside  the  door  of  your  palazzo  when 
you  descend  its  marble  staircase  to  go  forth 
and  explore  the  ancient  city.  The  atmos- 
phere is  of  the  eighteenth  century  until  the 
very  moment  you  have  put  your  nose  out 
at  the  door.  Nowadays,  alas !  when  the 
aristocrat  of  Genoa  deigns  to  leave  the  Via 
Balbi  or  the  Via  Garibaldi,  where  there  is 


Rambles  in  Ancient  Genoa  239 


space  for  his  carriage  and  pair,  and  enter  the 
narrow  lanes  in  the  neighbourhood  of  San 
Matteo  or  San  Siro  he  has  to  go  upon  il 
cavallo  di  San  Francesco.  The  only  vehicles 
you  ever  see  there  now  are  handcarts.  Who 
would  not  prefer,  now  and  then,  to  meet  a 
sedan-chair  with  a  pretty  Genoese  inside  ? 

There  is  no  lack  of  picturesqueness  about 
the  old  streets  of  Genoa  to-day,  but,  with  the 
decay  of  ancient  institutions,  I  suppose  one 
can  hardly  account  them  quite  as  quaint  in 
their  appearance  as  they  were  in  the  days  of 
Dickens.  But  if  there  are  no  sedan-chairs 
and  Ian  thorn-bearers,  the  Jesuits  who  mus- 
tered strong  in  the  streets  and  went  slinking 
about,  in  pairs,  like  black  cats,"  are  also 
absent ;  so  one  can  count  upon  at  least  one 
improvement.  Priests  and  monks  seem  to 
have  made  up  the  greater  part  of  the  popula- 
tion sixty  years  ago,  and  the  repulsive 
countenances  of  these  gentry  is  a  point  upon 
which  Dickens  insists  with  a  certain  amount 
of  warmth.  I  am  glad  that  we  saw  none  of 
them  during  our  sojourn  in  Genoa.  Only 
kindly  faces  stand  out  in  my  recollections 
of  the  four  pleasant  months  I  lived  there  : 
those  of  the  patient,  humble  Cappucchini, 
who  go  from  shop  to  shop  and  from  restaurant 


240  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


to  restaurant  begging  for  the  poor,  and  those 
of  the  richly-dressed  ecclesiasts  who,  just 
before  Easter,  go  from  house  to  house  blessing 
the  apartments  and  their  inhabitants.  He 
who  came  to  our  palazzo,  preceded  by  an 
aged  sacristan,  carrying  the  silver  vessel  which 
holds  the  holy  water,  and  into  which  you 
drop  your  offering,  made  a  particularly  fine 
figure  with  his  rich  purple  silk  vestment,  worn 
under  a  white  linen  and  lace  surpHce,  his  black 
silk  stockings  and  his  old-fashioned  patent- 
leather  shoes,  with  their  large  silver  buckles. 


Fountain  in  the  Gardens  of  the  Doria  Palace,  Genoa 


Valley  of  the  Bisagno,  Genoa 


CHAPTER  X 

A  VISIT  TO  TORRIGLIA 

When  the  heat  of  summer  is  at  its  height,  the 
great  problem  with  the  Genoese,  in  spite  of 
their  shady  vicoli  and  the  thick  walls  of  their 
palaces,  is  how  to  keep  cool,  and  the  moneyed 
classes  do  their  best  to  solve  it  by  fleeing  to 
the  hills.  One  of  their  favourite  mountain 
resorts  is  Torriglia,  a  little  town  full  of 
ancient  memories  and  situated  in  a  very 
picturesque  position,  at  an  altitude  of  over 
two  thousand  feet,  near  the  source  of  the 
Scrivia  torrent.  Lying  at  a  distance  of  but 
twenty-three  miles  on  the  main  road  to 

241 

i6 — (2230) 


242  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Piacenza,  it  is  easily  reached  from  Genoa, 
and  no  one  who  comes  to  this  part  of  Liguria 
should  think  of  leaving  the  district  without 
visiting  it.  Though  seen  at  its  best  when 
the  Italian  sun  is  shining  with  its  full  strength, 
Torriglia  is  at  all  times  of  the  year,  save  in 
the  dead  of  winter,  a  most  charming  place  : 
one  of  those  nature  spots  which,  since  they 
are  not  merely  beautiful,  but  have  a  story 
to  tell,  long  remain  in  one's  memory. 

Nature  had  by  no  means  assumed  her 
brightest  colours  when  I  ascended  the 
Bisagno  valley  towards  Torriglia ;  it  was 
still  the  month  of  March  and  the  slopes  of 
the  hills  above  the  port — daily  scrutinised 
from  the  window  of  my  room,  in  the  hope 
that  they  would  bear  the  signs  of  the  return 
of  summer,  were  as  yet  but  faintly  green. 
But  what  a  relief  it  was  to  leave  the  city 
and  once  more  find  myself  in  the  country  ! 
Fascinating  though  ancient  streets  may  be, 
they  must  ever  be  regarded,  when  compared 
with  hills  and  dales,  in  the  light  in  which  De 
Quincey,  with  his  pathetic  cry  of  stony- 
hearted stepmother  !  "  looked  upon  London. 
Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  Bisagno 
valley  is  sadly  marred  by  industrialism,  it 
was,  then,  a  welcome  change  after  my  long 


A  Visit  to  Torriglia 


243 


acquaintanceship  with  the  streets  of  Genoa. 
Closing  my  eyes  as  much  as  possible  to  the 
manufactories  and  works  which  disfigure 
the  banks  of  the  torrent — fleeing  from 
Staglieno,  that  town  where  the  Genoese  have 
built  a  cemetery,  and  where  the  very  streets, 
bordered  with  the  workshops  and  makers  of 
grave  stones,  remind  you  of  Death — hurrying 
on  past  dusty  Doria  and  Prato,  I  welcomed 
the  sight  of  Presa  (which  takes  its  name  from 
the  fact  that  it  is  the  point  on  the  course  of 
the  Bisagno  where  the  aqueduct  of  Genoa 
receives  its  principal  supply  of  water  ;  an 
aqueduct,  by  the  by,  which  one  cannot  fail 
to  notice  as  it  winds  in  and  out  along  the 
hillsides  on  its  way  towards  the  city)  with 
almost  a  sigh  of  relief.  For  here  the  valley 
and  the  stream  begin  to  assume  a  more 
natural  aspect,  and  the  nearer  you  approach 
the  Colle  della  Scoffera,  between  the  valley 
of  the  Bisagno  and  that  of  the  Scrivia,  the  more 
you  realise  that,  at  last,  you  have  passed 
beyond  the  area  of  the  city's  influence.  The 
banks  of  the  stream  were  here  and  there 
purple  with  heather,  whilst  all  along  the 
roadside  and  in  the  chestnut  groves,  where 
the  wood-cutters  were  busily  at  work,  were 
millions  upon  millions  of  primroses.  And 


244  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


almost  all  the  way  to  Torriglia,  after  descend- 
ing towards  the  Scrivia,  was  the  route  made 
pleasant  by  these  flowers,  interspersed,  now 
and  then,  by  patches  of  odorous  violets. 

The  position  of  Torriglia  and  its  ruined 
feudal  castle  has  been  very  admirably  des- 
cribed by  Davide  Bertolotti,  a  traveller  who 
visited  it  in  1834,  long  before  the  construction 
of  the  fine  national  road  which  put  it  in 
touch  with  civilization.  North  of  the 
Scoff  era,'*  he  writes,  the  waters  flow 
towards  the  Adriatic.  The  aspect  of  the 
country  changes.  The  land  begins  to  show 
signs  of  the  heavy  plough,  whilst  on  the 
slopes  looking  seawards  the  only  utilisable 
implement  is  the  spade  or  the  mattock. 
Extensive  chestnut  groves  cover  the  sides 
of  the  mountain,  but  more  thickly  planted 
at  the  bottom  of  the  valley  where  we  pass  the 
principal  confluent  of  the  Scrivia.  Passing 
another  wood  and  over  another  mountain, 
there  appears  before  one's  eyes  the  natural 
amphitheatre  in  the  midst  of  which  the  rays 
of  the  setting  sun  give  a  final  salute  to  Tor- 
riglia. The  village  lies  in  the  midst  of  the 
greenest  of  meadows,  gladdened  by  many 
rivulets.  The  ground  is  a  pleasantly  alter- 
nating succession  of  little  hills  and  dales. 


A  Visit  to  Torriglia 


245 


The  district  is  enclosed,  except  on  one  side, 
by  a  circle  of  mountains.  The  beautiful 
woods  which  clothe  the  mountains  on  the 
east  and  south  form  a  striking  contrast  to 
the  bare  crags  which  frown  on  the  west. 
Above  Torriglia  rise  the  ruined  but  proud 
remains  of  the  castle  which  was  possessed  by 
the  Fieschis  and  then  by  the  Dorias.  The 
bastions  surrounding  the  rock  are  still 
standing.  Jts  construction  was  strong  and 
rude,  like  the  men  of  the  days  when  it  was 
built.  But  detached  from  these  bastions 
there  rises,  like  the  figure  of  a  Roman 
centurion,  a  strongly-cemented  brick  tower, 
faced  with  laboriously -squared  stones.  The 
hands  which  ruined  the  feudal  castle  of 
Torriglia  respected  this  tower,  which  dates, 
perhaps,  from  the  consular  period."  ^ 

Though  Torriglia  is  to-day  undoubtedly 
less  primitive  than  it  was  when  Bertolotti 
visited  it,  it  still  in  many  respects  retains 
its  antique  appearance.  Viewed  from  the 
slopes  of  its  amphitheatre  of  hills,  one  can 
easily  distinguish  the  older  part  of  the  little 
town.  The  irregular,  dark  gray  roofs  of  the 
houses  and  the  painted  campanile  of  the 
church — the  music  of  whose  peal  of  eight 

^  Viaggio  nella  Liguria  Marittima. 


246  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


bells  is  ever  echoing  down  the  valley — stand 
out  in  striking  contrast  to  the  newer  buildings 
which  have  sprung  up  around  them.  There 
is  an  outer  circle  of  still  more  modern  dwel- 
lings, for  the  most  part  the  villas  of  well-to-do 
Genoese,  who  have  chosen  many  of  the  most 
dehghtful  spots  on  the  hillsides,  overlooking 
the  valley  and  the  distant  purple  hills,  for 
their  summer  homes  and  gardens.  Three 
periods  in  the  development  of  Torriglia  can 
thus  be  read  as  one  stands  on  the  high-lying 
ground  above  the  town.  But  one's  eyes  ever 
return  to  its  nucleus  of  picturesque  cottages, 
the  green  hill  which  dominates  them,  and, 
perched  upon  it,  above  a  precipitous  rock, 
the  shattered  walls  and  tower  of  the  fine  old 
castle,  shaped  in  front  like  the  prow  of  a 
ship. 

The  Castle  of  Torriglia  forms  an  effective 
picture  from  almost  every  point  of  view, 
but  it  is,  perhaps,  seen  at  its  best  from  a 
pathway,  near  a  little  mountain  stream, 
beneath  a  small  cluster  of  houses,  known  as 
TorrigHa  Vecchia,  at  the  head  of  the  valley. 
You  should  go  there  when  the  sun  is  about  to 
disappear  behind  the  hills,  when  the  shadows 
have  already  begun  to  creep  over  the  houses 
in  the  hollow,  when  the  eastern  side  of  the 


A  Visit  to  Torriglia 


247 


castello  is  a  rich,  deep  purple,  and  when  the 
last  rays  of  sunlight  are  illuminating  the 
western  bastions  and  transforming  the  grassy 
slopes  to  a  beautiful  tender  golden  green,  ere 
they  and  all  things  are  enveloped  in  the  gray 
of  twilight. 

Sitting  there  one  evening,  with  the  Roman 
tower  standing  out  against  the  purple  valley, 
it  seemed  to  me  that  neither  time  nor  place 
could  have  been  better  for  recalling  the 
story  of  Torriglia  and  its  castle.  So  let  me 
advise  all  wayfarers  in  the  valley  of  the  Scrivia 
to  choose  the  close  of  the  day  for  following 
the  steep  mule-path  which  leads  to  Old 
Torriglia,  and  to  read  this  history  in  little  on 
some  grassy  bank  of  the  intermediary  slopes 
of  the  mountain. 

The  earliest  known  reference  to  Torriglia 
is  to  be  found  in  a  document  of  972,  in  which 
the  Emperor  Ottone  II  confirmed  the  grant 
of  certain  lands  and  castles,  including  the 
curtem  de  Turrigio,  to  the  celebrated  Monas- 
tery of  San  Colombano  of  Bobbio  ;  and  the 
first  of  its  feudal  lords  who  are  mentioned  in 
history  are  the  Malaspinas,  who  exercised 
their  rights  in  the  Scrivia  and  other  valleys 
in  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  centuries. 
Among  the  members  of  this  powerful  family 


248  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


were  several  noteworthy  men.  Alberto 
Malaspina,  surnamed  II  Moro,  was  one  of  the 
oldest  trovatori  of  Italy,  and  Moroello,  the 
lord  of  the  valley  of  the  Magra,  was  the  friend 
and  host  of  Dante,  who  refers  to  him  in  the 
Divine  Comedy  as  follows  : — 

"  Reft  of  the  Neri  first  Pistoia  pines  ; 
Then  Florence  changeth  citizens  and  laws  ; 
From  Valdimagra,  drawn  by  wrathful  Mars, 
A  vapour  rises,  wrapt  in  turbid  mists, 
And  sharp  and  eager  driveth  on  the  storm 
With  arrowy  hurtling  o'er  Piceno's  field. 
Whence  suddenly  the  cloud  shall  burst,  and  strike 
Each  helpless  Bianco  prostrate  to  the  ground."  ^ 

This  reference  to  Moroello's  victories  over 
the  White  faction  is  put  in  the  mouth  of 
Vanni  Fucci,  in  the  form  of  a  prophecy,  but 
whether  Dante  refers  to  his  friend's  taking 
of  Serravalle  in  1302,  or  to  the  final  reduction 
of  Pistoia,  which  was  the  last  rallying  point 
of  the  Bianchi  in  Tuscany,  is  a  point  which 
commentators  of  La  Divina  Commedia 
have  not  yet  decided.    However,  the  matter 

1  Pistoia  in  pria  di  Neri  si  dimagra, 
Poi  Firenze  rinnova  genti  e  modi. 
Tragge  Marte  vapor  di  Val  di  Magra 
Ch'e  di  torbidi  nuvoli  involuto, 
E  con  tempesta  impetuosa  ed  agra 
Sopra  Campo  Picen  fia  combattuto ; 
Ond'ei  repente  spezzera  la  nebbia. 
Si  ch'ogni  Bianco  ne  sara  feruto. 

(Inf.  XXIV,  143-150.) 


A  Visit  to  Torriglia 


249 


is  one  that  does  not  directly  concern  Torriglia, 
since  the  lordship  of  the  Scrivia  valley,  and 
probably  that  of  the  neighbouring  Trebbia, 
over  which  Moroello  held  jurisdiction,  passed, 
about  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century, 
doubtless  in  1252,  when  Nicolo  Fieschi,  Count 
of  Lavagna,  acquired  (as  the  family  records 
show)  "  many  properties  "  in  Liguria  from 
Guglielmo  Malaspina,  into  the  hands  of  the 
Fieschis.  The  Counts  of  Lavagna,  who 
held  Torriglia  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  years, 
claimed  descent  from  the  Dukes  of  Bavaria, 
and  were  one  of  the  most  powerful  families 
of  Northern  Italy.  Many  were  the  celebrated 
ecclesiasts  and  statesmen  who  sprang  from 
their  house.  Two  Popes,  seventy  Cardinals, 
more  than  three  hundred  Archbishops  and 
Bishops,  and  a  Marshal  of  France,  in  the  time 
of  St.  Louis,  bore  the  name  of  Fieschi. 

The  Malaspinas  and  the  Fieschis  were 
united  both  by  marriage  and  their  pohtical 
views.  Alagia  Fieschi,  the  niece  of  Otto- 
buono  Fieschi,  who  was  elected  Pope  on 
July  11th,  1276,  under  the  title  of  Adrian  V, 
was  the  wife  of  Moroello  Malaspina  ;  and  the 
two  famihes  belonged  to  the  Guelf  party. 
The  conflict  between  the  Guelfs  and  the 
GhibeUines,  which  broke  out  afresh  in  1335 


250  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


and  once  more  threw  Genoa  into  a  state  of 
disorder,  brought  TorrigHa  into  considerable 
prominence,  and  for  many  years  to  come  its 
castle  played  no  mean  part  in  the  history  of 
the  Republic.  Considering  that  the  power 
of  the  Ghibellines  had  become  too  strong  to 
hope  of  overthrowing  it,  Giovanni  Fieschi, 
the  son  of  Carlo,  withdrew,  in  the  above- 
mentioned  year,  to  his  family's  mountain 
stronghold,  where  he  anxiously  waited  for 
an  opportunity  to  descend  upon  the  city  at 
the  head  of  his  followers.  But  he  did  not 
live  to  see  a  sufficiently  favourable  moment ; 
and  it  was  not,  indeed,  until  1392,  that  his 
descendant,  Antonio,  decided  upon  a  decisive 
step.  Gathering  three  hundred  mountaineers 
around  him,  Antonio,  on  May  17th  of  that 
year,  took  up  a  position  on  Monte  Fascia  and 
made  an  attempt  to  rouse  the  people  of 
Genoa  against  the  reigning  Duke,  Antoniotto 
Adorno.  It  was,  however,  unsuccessful. 
Raffaelo  Adorno  marched  up  the  valley  of 
the  Bisagno  at  the  head  of  a  strong  force  of 
Ghibellines,  invaded  the  valley  of  the  Scrivia, 
and  attacked  the  Castle  of  Torriglia ;  and 
though  he  did  not  succeed  in  taking  it, 
Antonio  Fieschi  was  forced  to  make  peace. 
Comparative  calm  then  reigned  until  1430, 


A  Visit  to  Torriglia 


251 


but  in  this  year  Guelf  and  Ghibelline  were 
once  more  up  in  arms,  and  this  time  the 
castello  was  captured  by  Nicolo  Piccinino,  a 
captain  of  the  troops  of  Duke  Fihppo  Maria 
Visconti,  in  whose  name  Genoa  was  then 
governed.  Reoccupied  shortly  afterwards  by 
the  Fieschis,  it  was  again  taken  in  1432  by  the 
Republic  of  Genoa  ;  and  thus,  ever  the  stake 
in  the  sanguinary  game  which  the  rival 
factions  played  for  more  than  two  centuries, 
it  many  times  passed  from  one  to  the  other. 
From  1478  to  1547  the  Fieschis  held  the 
lordship  of  Torriglia  and  the  valley  of  the 
Scrivia  without  interruption,  but  in  the 
latter  year,  with  the  death  of  Gian  Luigi 
Fieschi  di  Sinibaldo,  who,  according  to  the 
annals  of  Bonfadio,  was  born  in  the  castle, 
their  reign  came  to  an  end. 

The  circumstances  under  which  the 
Fieschis  lost  their  feudal  rights  form  one  of 
the  principal  pages  in  the  history  of  Torriglia. 
Gian  Luigi  Fieschi,  who  was  undoubtedly  one 
of  the  greatest  members  of  his  family,  is  said 
by  his  biographers  to  have  been  a  true  lover 
of  liberty,  and  much  better  disposed  than 
his  rivals,  the  Dorias,  were  to  protect  the 
interests  of  the  Genoese.  Whether  he  was 
right  or  wrong  in  thinking  that  the  Republic 


252  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


needed  a  liberator,  there  can  be  no  doubt  of 
this  :  that  he  was  a  man  who  commanded 
respect  on  all  sides,  and  of  whom  even  his 
opponents  could  say  much  good.  He  pos- 
sessed, says  one  of  them,  a  great  mind,  an 
acute  understanding,''  and  was  one  of  the 
most  noteworthy  men  in  Italy,  after  sovereign 
princes,''  whilst  he  had  been  led  by  the  advice 
and  example  of  the  best  teachers  and  gravest 
men  "to  the  study  of  virtue  and  honest 
actions."  Convinced  that  the  Republic  was 
being  ill-governed  by  the  Dorias,  Gian  Luigi 
Fieschi  placed  himself,  in  January,  1547,  at 
the  head  of  the  conspiracy  to  overthrow  them. 
Andrea  Doria's  cousin,  Giannettino — a  weak, 
presumptuous  man,  of  whom  the  great 
admiral  is  said  to  have  been  anything  but 
proud — was  assassinated,  some  of  the  prin- 
cipal gates  of  the  city  were  seized  by  the 
conspirators,  and  they  were  about  to  succeed 
in  their  object  when  an  event  occurred  which 
completely  ruined  their  plans.  Whilst  passing 
from  one  ship  to  another  in  the  port,  Gian 
Luigi  Fieschi  fell  into  the  sea  and  was 
drowned.  The  plot  having  failed,  and  its 
head  having  lost  his  life,  the  Senate  of  Genoa 
was  disposed  to  be  lenient  towards  the 
conspirators,    so    a   general   amnesty  was 


A  Visit  to  Torriglia 


253 


granted  to  the  Fieschis  and  their  followers. 
But — some  say  through  the  influence  of 
Andrea — the  promise  was  broken,  several 
members  of  the  family  were  executed,  others 
were  banished  and  their  possessions  were 
seized.  ^ 

A  company  of  Spanish  infantry,  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Oriola,  proceeded 
towards  the  Colle  della  Scoffera  and,  swooping 
down  upon  Torriglia,  took  possession  of  the 
castle  in  the  name  of  Charles  V.  The  Em- 
peror was,  however,  only  a  nominal  holder  ; 
the  real  owner  of  the  lordship  of  the  valley 
of  the  Scrivia,  with  that  of  Carrega,  Garbagna, 
Grondona,  and  ten  other  castles,  was  the 
great  Andrea,  who  promptly  raised  Torriglia 
to  the  status  of  a  marquisate.  On  his  death, 
in  1560,  his  possessions  passed  into  the  hands 
of  Giovanni  Andrea  Doria,  the  son  of  the 
murdered  Giannettino.  The  new  Marquis  of 
Torriglia  was  evidently  much  disliked,  for  we 
read  in  the  annals  of  Roccatagliata  that  "  he 
was  noted  for  his  arrogance  and  ill-behaviour 
both  towards  the  public  and  private  ac- 
quaintances, and  was  hated  and  blamed  by 
his  fellow-citizens  for  his  ambition."  The 
Dorias  held  Torriglia  and  its  castle  until  1797, 

^  Schiller  founded  a  historical  drama  on  this  conspiracy. 


254  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


when  the  revolutionary  party  got  the  upper 
hand  and  destroyed  their  property.  More 
fortunate  than  the  Fieschis,  the  blow,  how- 
ever, was  in  no  way  a  serious  one,  since  they 
afterwards  received  full  compensation  for 
the  loss  of  their  possessions. 

When,  in  1797,  the  Republic  of  Liguria  was 
proclaimed  in  Genoa,  and  all  the  neighbouring 
feudal  lords  were  called  upon  to  adhere  to  it, 
Torriglia  was  divided  into  two  parties  :  the 
Democratic  and  the  Aristocratic.  Though  the 
little  town  had  certainly  no  need  to  com- 
plain of  its  masters,  the  revolutionaries 
gained  the  upper  hand  and  carried  everything 
before  them.  A  tree  of  liberty  was  planted 
on  the  square  in  front  of  the  parish  church, 
the  inhabitants  danced  around  it  with  shouts 
of  joy,  and  a  band  of  young  men  rushed  up 
the  steep  paths  towards  the  castle.  On 
hearing  of  the  revolutionary  rising  in  Genoa, 
the  occupants  of  the  castello  had  fled,  leaving 
their  agent  in  sole  charge.  Seized  and 
brutally  ill-treated,  the  man  was  driven  from 
his  post.  The  revolutionaries  then  shattered 
all  the  locks,  unhinged  the  doors,  and, 
throwing  them  down  the  slopes  of  the  hill, 
withdrew  without  doing  further  damage. 
But  when  night-time  came,  bands  of  thieves 


A  Visit  to  Torriglia 


255 


- — of  whom  there  were  plenty  in  those  turbu- 
lent days^ — entered  and  carried  off  everything 
of  value,  though  not  before  they  had  com- 
pleted the  work  of  destruction  begun  on  that 
sunny  June  afternoon. 

Reading  the  chronicles  of  Torriglia  one 
judges  that  it  must  have  been  rather  a  lawless 
little  place  before  the  opening  of  the  road 
from  Genoa  to  Piacenza.  Early  in  the 
nineteenth  century  the  neighbouring  moun- 
tains were  infested  with  bands  of  robbers,  and 
it  was  no  uncommon  thing  to  hear  of  peasant- 
farmers,  whilst  returning  from  the  weekly 
village  market  with  their  earnings,  being 
made  to  stand  and  deliver.  Even  in  the 
days  when  Bertolotti  visited  the  valley  of 
the  Scrivia,  its  inhabitants  were  not  par- 
ticularly noted  either  for  their  love  of  order 
or  intelligence. 

But  Torriglia  has  made  enormous  strides 
since  1834.  She  has  been  made  to  under- 
stand the  benefits  of  civilization,  has  become 
one  of  the  pleasantest  little  mountain  resorts 
in  the  whole  world,  and  is  ever  ready  to  give 
a  hearty  welcome  to  anyone  who  comes  to 
admire  the  natural  beauties  with  which  she 
is  surrounded.  Even  so  early  in  the  year  as 
when  I  visited  Torrigha,  the  valley  of  the  Scrivia 


256  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


and  that  of  the  Trebbia,  which  was  covered 
with  milHons  of  purple  and  white  crocuses, 
formed  pictures  of  great  lovehness.  The 
clear,  exhilarating  mountain  air  impelled  me 
to  cover  mile  after  mile  for  the  sheer  love  of 
action,  and  more  than  once  sorely  tempted 
me  to  start  the  long  climb  to  Monte  Antola, 
where,  at  an  altitude  of  nearly  five  thousand 
feet,  there  is  a  particularly  rich  flora  of 
medicinal  and  other  plants. 


TorrigHa 


San  Fruttuoso  from  the  Sea 


CHAPTER  XI 

ALONG  THE  COAST:  TO  MONTE  PORTOFINO 

"  There  is  nothing  in  Italy  more  beautiful 
to  me  than  the  coast  road  between  Genoa 
and  Spezzia/'  wrote  Dickens  in  his  Pictures 
from  Italy  li  and  no  sooner  had  we  turned 
our  backs  on  the  great  seaport,  but  not 
without  a  tinge  of  regret,  than  it  became 
evident  that  his  appreciation  of  the  Riviera 
di  Levante  still  holds  good.  San  Martino 
d'Albaro,  Sturla,  and  Quarto  al  Mare,  the 
first  localities  to  which  the  traveller  along 
the  Cornice  comes,  and  the  last-named 
famous  as  the  place  where  Garibaldi,  on 

257 

17— (2230) 


258  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


May  5th,  1860,  embarked  for  Sicily  with  the 
Thousand  of  Marseilles,  are  a  little  too  near 
the  city  not  to  have  felt  its  influence,  but 
once  you  have  passed  beyond  Quinto  al  Mare 
and  reached  Nervi,  the  coast  scenery  is  every 
bit  as  fresh  as  in  the  days  when  this  fine 
road  was  the  sole  means  of  travelling  along 
the  Ligurian  littoral. 

The  fact  that  our  German  cousins  are  in 
complete  possession  of  Nervi  is  itself  a  high 
recommendation.  Wherever  they  hibernate, 
there  you  may  be  certain  to  find  the  most 
perfect  of  natural  conditions.  Sheltered 
from  the  north  winds  by  Monti  Moro  and 
Giugo,  Nervi  is  a  second  San  Remo.  The 
mildness  of  its  temperature,  its  luxurious 
gardens,  and  the  beauty  of  its  orange  and 
lemon  groves  make  it  one  of  the  most 
desirable  spots  of  the  eastern  Riviera.  It 
would  be  diflicult  to  find  a  place  better 
suited  for  passing  a  quiet,  healthful  holiday. 
Appreciating  its  advantages  to  the  full,  the 
Germans  gather  there  in  large  numbers  every 
winter,  and  find,  ready  to  their  hand,  every- 
thing which  the  most  exacting  invalid  or 
tourist  could  demand.  The  innumerable 
hotels  and  pensions  which  have  sprung  up  on 
the  sunny  slopes  of  the  hills  are  all  modelled 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Monte  Portofino  259 


to  meet  the  requirements  of  German  visitors, 
and  the  shops,  with  their  notices  in  German, 
give  one  the  same  impression.  Both  the 
Antiquary  and  I  were  quick  to  observe  this 
striking  feature  of  Nervi,  and  the  singular 
fewness  of  my  countrymen  and  country- 
women. It  appears,  from  what  my  friend 
tells  me,  that  we  English  do  not  care  to 
congregate  in  any  large  numbers  where  the 
Germans  pitch  their  tents,  and  that — as 
though  the  sight  of  a  Teutonic  face  pre- 
vented us  from  appreciating  the  beauties  of 
Nature  and  the  sound  of  a  Teutonic  tongue 
marred  the  music  of  the  sea — we  are  apt  to 
flee  at  the  very  approach  of  our  enterprising 
cousins.  And  as  we  are  often  the  first  to 
discover  these  Italian  and  other  resorts,  we 
are  thus,  owing  to  our  unconquerable 
prejudices,  relinquishing  our  hold  on 
some  of  the  most  delectable  places  in  the 
world. 

Nervi  and  its  neighbouring  suburb,  Capo- 
lungo,  have  no  sooner  been  passed  than  the 
true  character  of  the  country  through  which 
you  are  to  travel  is  suddenly  revealed.  For 
a  considerable  part  of  the  way  to  the  Penin- 
sula of  Portofino,  whose  mighty  wooded  mass 
projects  far  into  the  sea  in  the  distance,  the 


260  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


road  winds  high  above  the  rocky  coast, 
enabhng  you,  every  now  and  then,  to  obtain 
some  of  the  most  exquisite  views  that  the 
Mediterranean  has  to  offer.  The  ceaseless 
fretting  of  the  waves  far  below  your  feet,  the 
white  sails  of  feluccas  slowly  moving  hither 
and  thither  over  the  blue  expanse  of  water, 
the  rugged  coast  line  gradually  fading. into 
the  distance,  so  that  you  rather  divine  than 
see  its  fine  sweep  at  the  base  of  the  great 
peninsula,  the  dim  patches  of  white  and  red 
which  indicate  where  the  fishing  villages  are 
situated  ;  the  olive  groves  and  pine  woods 
which  border  the  white  route  ;  and  especially 
the  rich  colouring  which  everything  assumes 
in  the  morning  sunlight — all  these  are  things 
which  make  your  j  ourney  to  Monte  Portofino 
a  constant  joy. 

The  portion  of  the  littoral  which  lies 
between  Nervi  and  the  Peninsula  of  Portofino 
is  celebrated  for  its  mariners.  For  time  out 
of  mind,  all  the  villages  and  little  towns  which 
are  to  be  seen  scattered  along  the  coast' — 
Bogliasco,  Pieve  di  Sori,  Sori,  Recco,  and 
Camogli — have  produced  men  whose  bravery 
and  experience  in  sea-craft  have  carried  the 
renown  of  the  land  of  Columbus  to  the  four 
corners  of  the  world.    The  name  of  Biagio 


Along  the  Coast  :  to  Monte  Portofino  261 


Assereto,  a  celebrated  admiral  of  the  fifteenth 
century  who  was  born  at  Recco,  may  be  new 
to  some  readers  ;  but  who  has  not  heard  of 
Nicoloso  da  Recco,  who,  on  behalf  of  the 
King  of  Portugal,  discovered  and  described 
the  Canaries  in  1341  ?  Who  has  not  heard, 
too,  of  the  captains  of  Camogli  ? 

Camogli  is  a  town  which  never  fails  to 
fascinate  the  traveller.  Dickens,  whilst  on 
his  way  to  Spezzia,  made  a  point  of  leaving 
the  main  road  and  descending  the  long 
slope  of  the  hill  into  its  narrow,  ancient  streets, 
and  the  description  he  gives  shows  how 
much  the  place  delighted  him.  "It  is  a 
perfect  miniature  of  a  primitive  seafaring 
town,"  he  says  ;  the  salt  est,  roughest, 
most  piratical  little  place  that  ever  was  seen. 
Great  rusty  iron  rings  and  mooring-chains, 
capstans,  and  fragments  of  old  masts  and 
spars,  choke  up  the  way ;  hard,  rough- 
weather  boats,  and  seamen's  clothing,  flutter 
in  the  little  harbour  or  are  drawn  out  on  the 
sunny  stones  to  dry  ;  on  the  parapet  of  the 
rude  pier,  a  few  amphibious-looking  fellows 
lie  asleep,  with  their  legs  dangling  over  the 
wall,  as  though  earth  or  water  were  all  one  to 
them,  and  if  they  slipped  in,  they  would  float 
away,  dozing  comfortably  among  the  fishes." 


262  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Camogli  struck  us  as  being  a  little  brisker 
than  these  words  would  seem  to  indicate,  as 
though  competition,  resulting  from  steam 
navigation,  had  awakened  it  from  its  former 
easy-going  ways.  We  saw  no  one  asleep  on 
the  pier,  but  several  groups  of  bearded, 
bronze-faced  sea-captains,  talking  with  great 
animation.  I  wondered  whether  the  topic 
of  their  conversation  was  the  respective  merits 
of  steamship  and  sailing  vessel ;  for  it  appears 
that  the  coming  into  general  use  of  the  former 
has  struck  the  shipowners  of  Camogli  a 
terrible  blow.  Some  decided  to  move  with 
the  times,  but  others  remained  faithful  to 
the  old-fashioned  methods,  and  even  as  late 
as  1886  Camogli  possessed  three  hundred 
and  forty-eight  sailing  vessels,  representing 
a  tonnage  of  165,217.  Her  captains  still 
number,  according  to  a  recent  census,  nearly 
eight  hundred. 

The  little  harbour  of  Camogli  is  certainly 
one  of  the  most  picturesque  I  have  ever  seen. 
One  of  its  sides  is  formed  by  a  tongue  of 
land  which  projects  into  the  sea  and  on  the 
rocky  point  of  which  the  church  is  built :  a 
church,  in  the  construction  of  which,  thanks 
to  the  financial  aid  of  the  devout  mariners  of 
Camogh,  there  has  been  an  unsparing  use  of 


Along  the  Coast  :  to  Monte  Portofino  263 


marble  and  gilding,  and  whose  interior,  as  in 
the  days  when  the  author  of  David  Copper- 
field  stepped  within,  is  still  bright  with 
trophies  of  the  sea,  and  votive  offerings,  in 
commemoration  of  escape  from  storm  and 
shipwreck/'  The  molo  runs  almost  at  right 
angles  to  this  miniature  peninsula,  and  from 
its  extreme  point  one  can  get  a  dehghtful 
view  of  the  porto,  crowded  with  boats  and 
old-fashioned  fishing-smacks,  and  with  a  back- 
ground of  tall,  weather-beaten  houses  and 
green  hillside.  Owing  to  the  very  small 
building  space  at  the  base  of  the  Peninsula 
of  Portofino,  all  the  houses  of  Camogli  are 
unusually  high,  many  of  them  being  seven  and 
eight  storeys,  and  a  few  of  them  even  ten. 
The  faded  reds  and  browns  and  yellows  of 
the  fronts  of  these  buildings,  from  whose 
windows  the  many-coloured  garments  of 
seamen  are  ever  suspended  to  dry,  form  a 
delightful  piece  of  colouring ;  and  if  some 
artist,  in  search  of  a  new  sketching-ground, 
were  to  ask  me  to  recommend  one  to  him,  I 
do  not  know  whether  I  should  not  advise 
him  to  go  to  Camogli. 

We  spent  the  best  part  of  a  day  at  Camogli, 
and  stayed  there  overnight,  and  both  my 
friend  and  I  felt  that,  had  time  permitted. 


264  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


we  could  very  profitably  have  made  a  much 
longer  sojourn  there.  It  was  impossible, 
however,  to  linger  in  all  the  agreeable  spots 
to  which  we  came  ;  at  that  rate  we  should 
not  have  finished  our  journey  under  at  least 
a  year.  All  the  time,  too,  we  were  conscious 
that  Monte  Portofino,  the  topmost  point 
(1,830  feet)  of  the  grand  peninsula,  which 
seems  to  rise  almost  perpendicularly  from  the 
sea,  was  beckoning  to  us.  So,  early  one 
morning,  we  climbed  back  to  the  main  road, 
passed  through  a  gallery  which  traverses  the 
hill,  scrambled  on  to  a  mule-path  which 
branches  off  to  the  left  immediately  on 
leaving  it,  and  began  our  long  ascent  of  the 
hill.  The  narrow  way,  whose  stones  are 
worn  smooth  and  hollow  by  the  feet  of 
generations  of  passengers,  winds  along  the 
upper  ridge  of  the  peninsula,  and,  as  it 
gradually  rises,  amidst  sparsely- wooded  slopes, 
strewn  with  rocks,  you  begin  to  be  able  to 
form  an  idea  of  the  wonderful  views  which 
are  to  reward  your  climb.  The  tall  houses 
of  Camogli  and  the  tower  of  its  church  rise 
majestically  from  the  edge  of  the  sea  below : 
a  confused  mass  of  subdued  colours,  like  those 
of  a  water-colour  by  Turner,  hemmed  in 
between  the  green  of  the  olive-groves  and  the 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Monte  Portofino  265 


slightly  ruffled  blue  expanse  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean ;  beyond  and  far  into  the  distance, 
almost  as  far  as  Genoa,  you  can  distinguish 
many  of  the  little  places  through  which  you 
have  passed ;  with  the  green  counterforts 
of  the  Appenines  rising  above  them  and  the 
gray  peaks  of  those  far-away  mountains  dimly 
visible  against  the  sky.  As  you  continue  to 
rise,  this  panoramic  view  becomes  still  more 
imposing ;  and  at  last  you  reach  a  point 
where,  on  turning  your  face  to  the  left,  you 
see  the  long  stretch  of  coast  on  the  other  side 
of  the  peninsula.  Down  there  on  the  shore 
is  S.  Margherita  Ligure,  a  little  beyond  is 
Rapallo  and  its  beautiful  gulf,  and  stretching 
away  into  the  distance  towards  Spezzia,  until 
sea  and  land  and  sky  melt  into  one,  are  the 
innumerable  little  bays  and  creeks  of  the 
rocky  littoral.  They  say — and  I  can  well 
believe  them — that  there  are  no  finer  views 
in  the  whole  of  Europe  than  those  which  are 
to  be  obtained  from  the  Peninsula  of  Porto- 
fino. From  the  summit  of  the  mountain  you 
can  see,  on  the  one  hand,  as  far  as  Capo 
Berta,  near  Diano  Marina,  and,  on  the  other, 
to  the  Isola  del  Tino,  in  the  Gulf  of  Spezzia, 
and,  on  looking  seawards,  if  the  atmosphere 
be   exceptionally   clear,    it   is    possible  to 


266  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


distinguish  the  dim  forms  of  Corsica  and  other 
islands  of  the  Tuscan  archipelago. 

For  the  first  time  since  we  had  climbed  the 
mountains  of  Liguria  together,  the  Anti- 
quary's local  knowledge  failed  him  :  we  lost 
our  way  on  Monte  Portofino,  and  for  fully  an 
hour  and  a  half  wandered  aimlessly  about 
amidst  its  maritime  pines  and  arbutus  trees. 
But  with  so  many  paths  to  choose  from, 
there  is  little  wonder  that  we  went  astray. 
At  last,  after  descending  into  I  know  not  how 
many  deep  clefts  in  the  rocky  peninsula,  we 
decided,  as  the  day  was  still  young,  to  retrace 
our  footsteps  to  the  point  where  we  had  first 
seen  the  double  view  of  the  Riviera,  and  to 
proceed  to  our  next  destination — San  Fruttuoso 
— by  an  easier  and  better-known  route. 

This  level  mountain  pathway  skirts  the 
eastern  side  of  the  peninsula,  and  soon 
divides  into  two  branches  :  the  one  to  the 
left  leading  to  Portofino  and  the  other,  on 
the  right,  down  the  deep  cleft  in  the  peninsula 
at  the  base  of  which  stands  San  Fruttuoso 
and  the  celebrated  Monastery  of  Capo  di 
Monte.  The  latter  way  descends  with  great 
abruptness,  crossing  and  recrossing  the  bed 
of  the  torrent,  amidst  the  pines  and  the 
arbutus  bushes,  and  it  was  not  long  ere 


Along  the  Coast  :  to  Monte  Portofino  267 


we  came  to  the  region  of  the  olives  and  within 
sight  of  the  little  group  of  buildings  which 
form  the  remote  fishing  village  of  San 
Fruttuoso. 

This  foot- wide  pathway,  zig-zagging  down 
the  gorge,  is  the  sole  means  of  communication 
with  the  outside  world — apart  from  the  broad 
but  not  always  safe  highway  of  the  sea — 
which  the  inhabitants  of  San  Fruttuoso 
possess.  But  their  needs  are  small  ;  they 
can  afford  to  remain  cut  off  from  civilization, 
have  no  necessity  to  make  more  than  occa- 
sional visits  to  the  markets  where  they 
dispose  of  the  result  of  their  work.  Fishing 
and  the  making  of  ropes  and  cables  are  the 
only  occupations  of  the  people  of  Capo  di 
Monte.  Fish  they  find  in  great  abundance 
at  their  very  doors,  and  the  material  for 
their  ropes  they  find  growing  in  large  quanti- 
ties on  the  slopes  of  the  peninsula.  As  we 
stumbled  into  San  Fruttuoso  on  that  sunny 
afternoon,  we  found  an  old  man  and  a 
woman,  assisted  by  some  boys,  busily  occu- 
pied on  a  primitive  rope-walk,  making  cables 
with  the  tough  fibres  of  the  grass  which  they 
call  lisca^  but  whose  scientific  name  is 
Ampelodesmus  tenax. 

San  Fruttuoso,  its  monastery  and  church, 


268  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


and  a  tall  tower  which  was  built  as  a  protec- 
tion against  the  Saracens  (all,  save  the  tower, 
tightly  wedged  within  a  narrow,  rocky  space 
at  the  very  edge  of  the  sea)  are  of  great 
antiquity.  The  abbey  is  mentioned  in  a 
document  of  904,  when  Adelagia,  wife  of  the 
Emperor  Ottone  II  and  daughter  of  Rodolfo, 
King  of  Burgundy,  presented  the  district  of 
Portofino  and  the  greater  part  of  the  moun- 
tain of  Capo  di  Monte,  to  the  occupants  of 
the  monastery,  then  under  the  rule  of  the 
Abbot  Madalberto.  After  being  for  long 
years  in  the  hands  of  the  Benedictines,  the 
patronage  passed,  in  the  thirteenth  century, 
to  the  Dorias.  The  tower,  which  rises  high 
above  the  abbey  and  its  adjoining  buildings, 
was  built  to  the  order  of  Andrea  Doria  (as 
is  shown  by  a  bull  of  Julius  III,  dated 
1550,  approving  of  his  project)  to  protect 
the  monastery  and  the  tombs  of  his  ancestors, 
whose  bones  had  for  centuries  rested  in  a 
small  crypt  near  its  miniature  cloister.  In 
this  charming  crypt,  which  is  built  of  black 
and  white  stone,  with  a  triple  row  of  little 
columns,  in  pairs,  supporting  its  gothic  arches, 
are  many  inscriptions  to  the  Dorias,  including 
one  to  the  memory  of  Egidio  Doria,  who 
fought    against   the   Pisans   in    1284,  and 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Monte  Portofino  269 


commanded  the  fleet  of  the  King  of  Sicily  in 
1299,  and  who  was  buried  at  San  Fruttuoso 
on  September  22nd,  1305.  That  there  was 
great  need  of  Andrea's  tower  we  already  know. 
The  whole  of  the  littoral  of  Liguria  was  for- 
merly, owing  to  the  incursions  of  the  Barbary 
pirates  who  infested  the  Mediterranean,  in 
continual  fear.  These  were  old  acquaintances 
of  Andrea  Doria.  During  his  military  career 
he  had  frequently  had  to  fight  against  them — 
as  they  themselves  knew  to  their  cost — for 
he  had  defeated  their  powerful  fleet  at 
Pianosa.  Many  of  the  outlooks  and  defences 
built  along  the  coast  of  Liguria  were  decorated 
with  frescoes,  and  those  of  the  San  Fruttuoso 
tower — the  coat  of  arms  of  the  House  of  Doria 
and  various  warlike  trophies  painted  in  red 
on  a  yellow  ground — are  fairly  well  preserved. 
This  tower  was  strongly  defended  with  loop- 
holes, and  on  the  side  facing  the  mountain 
there  was  a  drawbridge.  On  the  sides  facing 
the  sea  there  were  also  openings  for  artillery. 
At  the  entrance  to  the  bay,  on  high  ground, 
Andrea  also  placed  a  watch-tower  (the  ruins 
of  which  can  still  be  seen),  so  that  the  approach 
of  any  suspicious-looking  vessels  could  be 
observed  and  rapidly  reported.  Both  these 
towers  were  built  during  the  ten  years  which 


270  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


intervened  between  the  date  of  the  Papal 
bull  and  that  of  Andrea's  death,  and  it  is 
said  that,  thanks  to  their  protection,  the 
monastery,  which  had  become  almost  aban- 
doned through  fear  of  the  Saracens,  had  a 
new  lease  of  life.  And  it  is  indeed  a  fact 
that  after  this  time  the  list  of  the  Abbots  of 
San  Fruttuoso  contains  the  names  of  many 
members  of  the  House  of  Doria. 

Having  once  descended  to  San  Fruttuoso 
we  decided  that  we  would  not  leave  it  except 
by  water.  We  had  had  enough  of  mountain 
paths  for  one  day.  So  at  one  of  the  cottages 
we  found  an  experienced  boatman,  who 
rejoiced  in  the  name  of  Sal  vat  ore,  and  were 
rowed  round  the  peninsula  to  Portofino. 
Once  out  of  the  little  harbour,  the  sea  was 
none  too  smooth,  calm  though  it  had  looked 
from  the  top  of  the  mountain,  and  our  cockle- 
shell of  a  boat  was  played  with  by  the  waves 
in  a  manner  which  would  have  been  alarming 
had  it  been  in  less  skilful  hands.  But 
Salvatore  had  managed  a  boat  in  those 
dangerous  waters  ever  since  he  was  a  boy  of 
ten  :  he  knew  the  currents  to  be  avoided,  and 
how  to  round  all  the  difficult  points  with  the 
least  expenditure  of  labour  and  a  modicum 
of  risk,  and  thus,  after  three-quarters  of  an 


Along  the  Coast :  to  Monte  Portofino  271 


hour's  work  with  the  oars,  beneath  the  tower- 
ing chffs  of  the  peninsula  and  amidst  flocks 
of  screaming  sea-gulls,  bent  on  fishing 
expeditions,  he  brought  us  safely  into  the  still 
waters  of  the  sheltered  harbour  of  Portofino. 


The  crypt  at  San  Fruttuoso 


Santa  Margherita,  near  Rapallo 


CHAPTER  XII 

PORTOFINO  AND  NEIGHBOURHOOD 

On  the  eastern  side  of  the  extreme  point  of 
the  Peninsula  of  Portofino  is  a  narrow, 
curved  creek,  which  Nature  would  seem  to 
have  taken  under  her  special  protection. 
Though  the  sea  may  beat  with  all  its  fury 
against  the  promontory's  conglomerate  cliffs, 
the  strength  of  its  waves  is  almost  spent  ere 
they  break  upon  the  little  semicircular  beach 
of  this  favoured  cove.  The  cold  winds  which 
sometimes  blow  from  the  mountains  are 
powerless,  too,  to  harm  it,  since  it  is  enclosed, 

272 


Portofino  and  Neighbourhood  273 


on  one  side  by  the  thickly-wooded  ridge  of 
the  peninsula,  and  on  its  two  other  sides  by 
high  hills,  densely  clad  with  olives.  Within 
this  remarkably  sheltered  spot  lies  Portofino, 
with  its  houses  arranged  in  curves  along  the 
quays  and  in  front  of  its  narrow  lido — as 
snug  and  as  sunny  a  little  port  as  ever  a 
mariner  could  desire,  and  so  picturesque 
that  I  know  not  where  you  would  find  a 
prettier. 

A  row  of  multi-coloured  boats  are  drawn 
up  on  to  the  beach,  in  front  of  which  is  a 
little  piazza^  planted  with  acacias.  On  one 
side  of  this  square  are  the  porticoes  (indis- 
pensable to  every  Italian  town)  where  the 
lace-makers,  during  the  hot  days  of  summer, 
sit  plying  their  bobbins  with  marvellous 
rapidity,  and  the  old  boatmen  seek  shade  and 
repose.  Then  comes  the  graceful  curve  of 
the  narrower  of  the  two  quays,  bordered  by 
houses  with  pink  and  yellow  fa9ades  and 
green  shutters.  Seen  from  an  open  space 
opposite  the  church  of  San  Giorgio,  which 
stands  on  the  high  ground  of  the  peninsula, 
overlooking,  on  the  one  hand,  the  harbour, 
and  on  the  other,  the  open  sea,  this  piazza, 
and  above  it  the  green  hillside,  these  portici, 
these  fishermen's  houses,  bathed  in  sunhght, 

i8— (2230) 


274  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


and  their  reflections  in  the  usually  still 
water  of  the  harbour,  form  a  picture  of 
incomparable  beauty. 

Landscape  beauty  is  not  limited,  however, 
to  this  one  little  nook  of  the  peninsula  of 
Portofino.  If  you  follow  the  pathways  which 
wind  up  and  down  among  the  olives  that 
cover  the  hills  on  all  sides,  you  cannot  fail 
to  discover  many  charming  and  unexpected 
points  of  view.  There  is  one  walk  which  is 
obligatory.  It  takes  you,  skirting  the 
grounds  of  the  Castle  of  Portofino  and  the 
gardens  of  the  fine  villas  which  occupy  all 
the  most  favourable  positions  on  the  sheltered 
side  of  the  peninsula,  to  the  far  end  of  the 
promontory.  There,  high  above  the  sea — a 
lovely  turquoise  blue,  save  where  it  churns 
itself  into  foam  against  the  base  of  the  cliffs 
— you  have,  in  one  direction,  an  uninterrupted 
vista  of  water  and  sky,  in  another  a  view  of 
the  distant  Bay  of  Rapallo,  with  the  dark 
forms  of  maritime  pines  overhanging  the  sea 
in  the  foreground,  and  in  the  distance  the 
hills  above  the  coast,  which  throughout  the 
day,  owing  to  varying  effects  of  light,  is  ever 
changing  in  aspect.  The  poet  and  the  painter 
could  find  no  more  ideal  spot  than  this  pine- 
clad  point  to  sit  and  watch  the  rising  and 


Portofino  and  Neighbourhood  275 


setting  of  the  sun,  the  marvellous  cloud- 
effects  which  make  the  sky  a  never-tiring  pic- 
ture from  morning  until  night,  and  the  curious 
changes  which  are  wrought  by  light  and 
shadow  on  the  surface  of  the  sea. 

Though  Portofino  possesses  a  castello,  with 
stout  towers  of  decidedly  warlike  aspect,  I 
can  hardly  picture  it  as  a  scene  of  strife.  Has 
its  quiet  ever  been  disturbed  by  war's  alarms  ? 
...  I  know  not ;  and  I  shall  not  seek  to 
discover  if  its  history  has  been  one  of  battle- 
cries  and  bloodshed.  Let  us  think  of  it  as 
solely  a  place  of  gentle  deeds,  a  spot  off  the 
beaten  track  which  has  escaped  the  turmoil 
of  history,  a  welcome  haven  of  refuge  ;  as  it 
was,  indeed,  to  Maria  de'  Medici,  when  rough 
weather — whilst  on  her  way  to  France  to 
marry  Henry  IV — obliged  her  to  put  into 
the  port  and  stop  several  days  there. 

The  fact  that  Portofino  is  a  great  centre 
for  the  making  of  lace  emphasises  this  idea 
of  its  gentleness.  The  women  and  girls  of 
the  entire  district,  including  S.  Margherita 
and  Rap  alio,  devote  themselves  to  this  indus- 
try, but  it  is  at  Portofino  that  you  see  it 
carried  on  on  the  most  extensive  scale. 
This  artistic  occupation  adds  in  no  small 
measure  to  the  picturesqueness  of  the  village. 


276  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Under  the  arches  of  the  porticoes  and  at  many 
of  the  street  doors  the  workers — from  little 
girls  of  six  to  wrinkled  dames  of  seventy — 
sit  in  front  of  the  three-legged  stands  which 
support  the  pillows  on  which  their  work  is 
produced,  and  on  all  sides  you  hear  the  click 
of  their  wooden  bobbins.  To  an  uninitiated 
onlooker,  the  dexterity  of  the  more  accom- 
plished workers  seems  magical  :  he  marvels 
at  the  rapidity  with  which  the  bobbins  fly  from 
side  to  side  of  the  complicated  pattern,  at 
the  unerring  exactitude  with  which  just  the 
right  ones  are  selected,  and  wonders  that  the 
innumerable  threads  never  become  entangled 
amidst  such  a  forest  of  pins.  During  the 
season  for  visitors,  the  streets  are  hung  with 
lace  ;  stalls,  bearing  every  article  of  feminine 
adornment  that  can  be  made  on  a  tombola^  are 
erected  on  the  piazza  and  at  all  the  points 
where  prospective  buyers  are  likely  to  pass  ; 
so  that  how  to  get  by  without  stopping  to 
admire  and  purchase  becomes  a  most  difficult 
problem.  The  fair  young  lace-makers  invite 
you  with  such  pleasant  smiles  and  in  so  sweet 
a  voice  merely  to  look that  it  seems 
unmannerly  to  hasten  away  without  accepting 
the  invitation,  and  when  you  find  that  the 
price  of  their  beautiful  work  is  less  than  would 


Portofino  and  Neighbourhood  277 


satisfy  the  most  unskilled  of  city  toilers,  you 
rarely  resist  the  temptation  to  buy  lace 
collars  and  handkerchiefs  for  your  friends 
across  the  seas. 

Three  principal  kinds  of  lace  are  now  made 
at  Portofino :  antique,  Byzantine,  and 
Venetian.  The  first — original  Portofino  point 
— somewhat  resembles  torchon  in  appearance, 
and  is  very  effective  when  employed  for  large 
pieces,  such  as  scarves,  blouses,  coats,  and 
table-covers.  Byzantine,  which  is  rather 
closer  in  design,  has  a  characteristic  raised 
knot  which  distinguishes  it  from  any  other 
lace  of  the  neighbourhood  ;  whilst  Venetian, 
as  its  name  imphes,  recalls  the  well-known 
Venetian  point.  It  is  a  charming  pattern  of 
compHcated  scrolls  united  by  fine  bars,  and 
is  equally  suitable  for  an  entire  lace  coat  or 
a  dehcate  lace  handkerchief.  Of  the  three, 
it  is  much  the  longest  to  execute,  and  is  a 
pattern  which  only  the  older  and  more 
experienced  workers  seem  able  to  undertake. 
The  little  children  of  Portofino  make  much^ 
narrow  edging  and  insertion,  all  partaking 
somewhat  of  the  character  of  torchon,  and 
a  good  deal  of  guipure,  largely  employed  for 
the  trimming  of  household  hnen,  is  also 
produced  by  young  girls. 


278  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Portofino  is  the  terminus  of  a  very  good 
road  which  winds  along  the  coast  to  Rapallo 
by  way  of  Santa  Margherita  Ligure,  passing 
many  points  of  exceptional  beauty  and 
historic  interest.  With  a  rocky  hillside  above 
and  precipitous  descents  into  the  sea  below, 
you  quickly  come  within  sight  of  the  little 
bay  and  castle  of  Paraggi,  which,  standing  on 
an  eminence  above  the  sea,  has  been  trans- 
formed by  its  fortunate  owner  into  a  most 
charming  villa.  The  road  cuts  through  the 
rock  at  the  base  of  this  residence,  passes 
beneath  the  wooded  heights  on  which  the 
Convent  of  Cervara  is  built,  and  then  gradu- 
ally descends  to  Santa  Margherita.  The 
Convent  of  Cervara  was  founded  in  1324  by 
Guido  Scetten,  Archbishop  of  Genoa,  and  is 
noteworthy  as  having  been  the  temporary 
resting-place  of  two  distinguished  persons : 
Pope  Gregory  XI,  in  1376,  whilst  on  his  way 
from  Avignon  to  Rome,  and  Francis  I,  who 
was  imprisoned  there  in  1525,  after  the  Battle 
of  Pavia.  It  was  formerly  occupied  by 
Benedictine  monks,  but  is  now  inhabited  by 
some  of  the  Carthusians  who  were  forced  to 
leave  La  Grande  Chartreuse,  in  France. 
Between  Santa  Margherita  and  RapaUo  there 
are  again  some  steep  ascents  and  descents, 


Lace-makerSy  Portofino 


Portofino  and  Neighbourhood  279 


past  roadside  shrines,  rocky  cliffs  with  pine- 
trees  overhanging  the  sea,  and  hillsides 
covered  with  olives,  amidst  whose  gray-green 
foHage  there  rises,  here  and  there,  the  tall 
and  slender  dark  green  forms  of  cypresses. 
At  Pagana,  a  little  below  the  level  of  the  road, 
stands  the  church  of  San  Michele,  which  is 
worth  visiting  on  account  of  a  picture  by 
Vandyck  representing  the  Crucifixion.  As 
so  often  happens  when  works  of  art  are 
entrusted  to  the  care  of  ecclesiastical  authori- 
ties, this  painting  has  been  shamefully  ill- 
treated  :  it  has  been  burnt  in  parts  by  altar 
candles,  and,  when  I  saw  it,  was  disfigured  by 
spots  of  grease.  It  bears  traces,  too,  of 
having  been  restored  by  an  unskilled  hand. 
However,  the  work  is  decidedly  interesting, 
especially  when  we  know  that  its  history  can 
be  traced  back  to  the  days  when  Vandyck 
visited  and  worked  in  these  parts. 

Either  Santa  Margherita  or  Rapallo  will  be 
found  to  be  an  excellent  centre  for  excursions 
in  this  part  of  Liguria.  Both  are  well-shel- 
tered resorts,  on  the  shores  of  most  agreeable 
gulfs,  and  the  fact  that  they  are  crowded, 
during  the  season,  with  tourists  and  con- 
valescents testifies  not  only  to  their  interest 
but  also  to  their  climatic  advantages.  Eleven 


280  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


years  ago  Rapallo  was  almost  entirely  English, 
but  German  visitors  now  predominate,  and 
the  demand  for  accommodation,  as  shown  by 
the  building  of  fresh  villas  and  hotels,  is  ever 
on  the  increase. 

Santa  Margherita  was  the  birthplace  of 
the  celebrated  wood-carver  Maraghano,  and 
in  the  church  of  San  Giacomo  di  Corte,  on 
the  hillside  above  the  town,  is  an  exquisite 
example  of  his  work  :  a  statue  of  the  Madonna 
with  six  cupids  at  her  feet,  three  on  the  right 
and  three  on  the  left.  She  is  represented 
on  a  throne,  her  arms  outspread,  and  her  face 
and  eyes,  full  of  tenderness,  raised  towards 
heaven.  This  masterpiece  is  stored  away 
for  the  greater  part  of  the  year  within  a  glazed 
recess,  high  up  in  a  side  chapel ;  but  once 
a  year — on  Good  Friday — it  is  brought  forth 
and  carried  through  the  sunny  streets  of 
Santa  Margherita.  Its  beauty  can  then  be 
admired,  though  one's  pleasure  in  looking  on 
Maragliano's  work  is  somewhat  marred  by 
the  strings  of  paltry  silver  hearts  which  are 
suspended  from  the  Virgin's  hands — a 
hideous  addition  which  the  sculptor 
undoubtedly  never  foresaw. 

There  is  another  piece  of  sculpture  which 
every  one  who  goes  to  this  little  coast  town 


Portofino  and  Neighbourhood  281 


should  see.  It  likewise  represents  the 
Madonna,  but  carved  in  stone,  and  with  a 
child  upon  her  knee^ — a  work  of  the  Byzantine 
period,  very  primitive  in  execution,  yet 
wonderfully  life-like.  Time  and  the  stones  of 
the  mischievous  small  boys  of  Santa  Mar- 
gherita  have  much  damaged  this  curious  work 
in  parts,  so  the  space  in  which  it  stands,  at 
the  angle  of  a  wall  near  a  chapel,  above  the 
ruins  of  an  ancient  fort,  has  been  carefully 
enclosed  with  stout  wire-netting. 

The  principal  occupation  of  the  women  and 
girls  of  Santa  Margherita  is  the  making  of 
lace  ;  whilst  that  of  the  men- — from  about 
the  end  of  May  to  the  beginning  of  October — 
is  coral  fishing.  The  greater  part  of  the 
male  population  set  sail  in  the  former  month 
for  the  coasts  of  Sardinia  and  Barbary,  and 
often  return  with  valuable  cargoes  on  board 
their  little  vessels,  known  as  coralline.  But 
their  work  is  extremely  fatiguing,  since  it  is 
continued,  with  only  brief  intervals  for  rest, 
throughout  both  the  night  and  the  day. 
The  apparatus  for  coral  fishing  consists  of  a 
strong  windlass  placed  at  the  stern  of  the 
vessel  and  furnished  with  a  long  rope,  at  the 
end  of  which  is  a  heavy  wooden  cross,  with 
an  attachment  of  particularly  stout  nets. 


282  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


This  cross  is  sunk  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea 
by  means  of  a  large  stone  ;  the  signal  to  start 
is  given  by  the  owner  of  the  boat ;  and,  as  it 
slowly  travels  along,  either  by  means  of  its 
sails  or  its  oars,  branches  of  coral  are  detached 
from  the  coral-banks  by  the  nets  and  become 
entangled  in  the  meshes.  When  the  master 
of  the  vessel  considers  that  the  catch  "  is 
sufficiently  good,  he  gives  orders  for  the  boat 
to  stop,  and  the  nets  are  carefully  drawn  to 
the  surface.  This  part  of  the  work  of  the 
coral  fishers  is  often  a  long  and  arduous 
operation,  for  the  nets  are  often  sunk  to  a 
depth  of  more  than  two  hundred  metres. 
On  the  coral  being  landed  it  is  superficially 
cleaned,  and  then  packed  in  the  boxes  in 
which  it  is  sent  to  Genoa,  where  a  speciality 
is  made  of  polishing  and  mounting  it. 

The  streets  of  Rapallo  have  now  almost 
entirely  lost  that  primitive  picturesqueness 
which  was  once  their  characteristic.  The 
only  really  interesting  portion  of  the  old 
town  that  remains  is  an  ancient  gateway 
and  shrine,  at  the  end  of  a  street  leading  on 
to  the  promenade.  But  facing  the  Langan,  as 
the  little  port  is  called,  there  is  a  very  fine 
thirteenth  century  castle,  which  was  built 
to  protect  the  town  against  the  Saracens, 


Portofino  and  Neighbourhood  283 


who  here,  as  elsewhere,  were  very  trouble- 
some up  to  as  late  as  the  middle  of  the 
sixteenth  century.  On  the  night  of  the 
6th  of  July,  1549,  Dragutte  and  his  fierce 
followers  suddenly  landed  on  the  beach,  took 
the  castle  by  storm,  sacked  the  houses  of  the 
entire  district,  and  carried  off  a  large  number 
of  prisoners.  Near  the  mouth  of  the  Bogo 
torrent,  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  there 
is  also  another  monument  of  the  past  :  an 
arch  of  a  Roman  bridge.  So  these  two 
antiquities  to  a  certain  extent  make  up  for 
the  modernness  of  Rapallo. 

Rapallo's  principal  feature  consists  of  its 
natural  beauties.  Many  dehghtful  walks  can 
be  made  in  the  district.  Two,  in  particular, 
are  to  be  recommended.  The  first,  which 
will  take  you  a  little  over  half-an-hour,  is 
to  the  ruins  of  the  Gothic  monastery  of  the 
Val  di  Cristo,  near  the  village  of  Sant'  Anna. 
This  monastery,  whose  chief  architectural 
interest  lies  in  its  ivy-covered  tower,  and 
which  is  now  surrounded  by  cottages  and 
farms,  dates  from  1204.  It  was  first  inhabited 
by  sisters  of  the  Cistercian  Order,  then  by 
those  of  Clarisse,  and  was  suppressed  in  the 
sixteenth  century.  But  the  longer  excursion 
to  the  sanctuary  church  of  Montallegro  (it 


284  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


will  take  a  good  walker  nearly  two  hours)  is 
by  far  the  more  interesting.  This  sanctuary, 
standing  at  a  height  of  over  eighteen  hundred 
feet  to  the  north-east  of  Rapallo,  was  founded 
in  1557,  and,  as  in  the  case  of  similar  places 
of  pilgrimage,  the  miraculous  picture  and 
holy  spring  play  their  part  in  its  history. 
There  are,  however,  two  versions  of  the  story, 
consequently  its  effect  is  somewhat  spoiled. 
It  was  neither  the  church  nor  its  story, 
however,  which  took  us  up  the  long, 
winding  mule-path  which  leads  to  the 
Sanctuary  of  Montallegro — these  were  but 
the  pretext  for  getting  on  to  the  mountains 
to  admire  the  views  of  Rapallo  and  the 
Tigulian  Gulf.  Both  the  route  and  the  views 
which  it  affords  are,  indeed,  exceedingly 
picturesque.  At  its  lower  level,  it  winds  past 
the  luxurious  gardens  of  many  fine  villas — 
past  olive  trees  and  cypresses — past  the 
beautiful  little  chapel  of  San  Bartholomeo, 
and  rustic  cottages  with  bee  gardens,  the  hives 
of  one  of  which  were  made,  we  noticed,  out 
of  logs  of  wood.  As  it  reaches  higher  ground, 
it  passes  through  ancient  oak-groves  :  mag- 
nificent old  trees  with  gnarled  trunks  and 
twisted  branches,  through  the  foliage  of 
which,  when  you  stop  to  look  back,  you  see 


Portofino  and  Neighbourhood  285 


Rapallo  stretched  out  on  its  fertile  plain, 
beyond  the  distant  houses  of  Santa  Mar- 
gherita,  with  the  white  sails  of  its  fishing- 
boats  in  the  bay,  and,  still  further  in  the 
distance,  the  dim  outline  of  the  Peninsula  of 
Portofino. 


The  Caslle  of  Ji'apallo 


The  River  Entella 


CHAPTER  XIII 

AT  SESTRI  LEVANTE  AND  VARESE  LIGURE 

The  Antiquary,  almost  all  the  way  from 
Rapallo  to  Sestri  Levante,  quoted  Dante. 
The  Divine  Comedy^  he  said,  was  the  best 
of  all  guide  books  to  this  portion  of  the  coast ; 
the  rocky  cliffs,  rising  high  above  the  sea, 
their  narrow,  dangerous  paths,  which  few 
could  follow  without  trembling,  and — in 
striking  contrast  to  these — the  lovely  banks 
of  the  placid  Entella  were  the  best  of  all 
commentaries  on  the  work  of  the  great  poet. 
His  duty  as  a  Ligurian,  proud  of  his  province 
and  proud  of  the  fact  that  Dante  had  found 
inspiration    there,   was   to   proclaim  these 

286 


At  Sestri  Levante  and  Varese  Ligure  287 


truths,  in  the  hope  that  travellers  would  be 
induced  to  study  their  Divina  Commedia  in 
this  new  and  important  light. 

Intra  Siestri  e  Chiaveri  si  adima 

Una  fiumana  bella,  e  del  suo  nome 

Lo  titol  del  mio  sangue  fa  sua  cima, —  ^ 

cited  my  friend,  as  we  stepped  along  the  road, 
and  the  caressing  manner  in  which  he  lingered 
on  the  words  showed  how  much  he  loved  his 
national  poet.  This  beautiful  river,''  flow- 
ing between  Sestri  and  Chiaveri,  was  the 
Lavagna,  or,  as  it  is  also  called,  the  Entella, 
and  the  family  which  took  its  title  from  it  was 
that  of  the  Fieschis,  the  powerful  Counts  of 
Lavagna,  who  ruled  over  this  part  of  Liguria 
during  the  Middle  Ages,  and  with  whom 
Dante's  friend,  Moroello  Malaspina,  was  con- 
nected by  marriage.  The  passage  occurs  in 
Canto  XIX  of  the  Purgatory  ;  that  in  which 
the  poet  describes  his  ascent  with  Virgil  to 
the  fifth  cornice,  where  the  sin  of  avarice  is 
cleansed,  and  where  he  finds  Pope  Adrian  V 
(Cardinal  Ottobuono  Fieschi),  who  addresses 
him  on  the  subject  of  his  covetousness  and 
his  conversion,  and,  in  addition  to  speaking 

^  "  .  .  .  the  name 
And  title  of  my  lineage,  from  that  stream 
That  'twixt  Chiaveri  and  Sestri  draws 
His  limpid  waters  through  the  lowly  glen. 

(Gary's  translation.) 


288  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


of  the  Lavagna,  refers  to  his  niece,  the  wife 
of  Moroello  Malaspina,  in  the  following 
words  : — 

I  have  on  earth  a  kinswoman  ;  her  name 
Alagia,  worthy  in  herself,  so  ill 
Example  of  our  house  corrupt  her  not  : 
And  she  is  all  remaineth  of  me  there.  ^ 

We  spent  many  hours  on  the  banks  of  the 
Entella,  reading  and  discussing  Dante  (for 
the  Antiquary  was  never  without  his  pocket 
edition  of  the  poet),  trying  to  realise  what  the 
places  and  scenes  through  which  we  were 
passing  were  like  in  his  day,  and  recalling  the 
history  of  the  Fieschis.  This  picturesque 
river,  which  forms  the  boundary  line  between 
Chiavari  and  Lavagna,  is  formed  by  the  union 
of  three  streams  :  the  torrent  of  the  Lavagna 
valley,  which  flows  for  a  distance  of  twenty 
kilometres  ;  the  Sturla,  which  descends  from 
the  Borsonasco  and  other  groups  of  moun- 
tains ;  and  the  little  Graveglia.  The  juncture 
takes  place  near  Carasco,  and  thence  the 
Entella,  along  a  broad  and  fairly  fiat  bed, 
bordered  by  trees,  which  are  charmingly 
reflected  in  its  clear  waters,  proceeds  almost 

1  "  Nepote  a  io  di  la  ch'a  nome  Alagia, 

Buona  da  se,  pur  che  la  nostra  casa 
Non  faccia  lei  per  esemplo  malvagia  ; 
E  questa  sola  di  la  m'e  rimasa. 


At  Sestri  Levante  and  Varese  Ligure  289 


in  a  straight  line  towards  the  sea.    It  can 

have  changed  little  in  its  aspect  since  the 

days  when  Dante  gazed  upon  its  simple  and 

touching  beauties.    In  some  respects,  too, 

both  Chiavari  and  Lavagna  are  the  same  as 

they  were  in  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth 

centuries.    The  latter  takes  its  name  from 

the  slate  quarries  which  abound  at  Monte 

San  Giacomo,  in  the  neighbourhood.  These 

quarries,  which  provide  work  for  quite  five 

hundred  hands,  including  nearly  two  hundred 

women,  who,  in  groups  of  four  to  six,  carry 

the  heavy  slabs  of  stone  upon  their  heads^ 

not  only  from  the  stone-yards  facing  the  beach 

down  to  the  boats,  but  all  the  way  from  where 

the  slate  is  extracted,  are  known  among  the 

people  of  the  district  as  chiappe — a  word 

which  Dante  uses  in  the  Divine  Comedy ^  a 

striking    proof    of  the  fact  that  he  was 

acquainted  with  even  purely  local  details. 

Walking  along  the  left  bank  of  the  river 

towards  the  Ponte  della  Maddalena,  we  were 

not  long  in  coming  to  the  little  village  of  San 

Salvatore,  lying  on  the  slope  of  a  hill.  A 

little  away  from  the  houses,  and  on  fairly 

high  ground,  we  found  two  splendid  reminders 

of  Dante  and  the  Fieschis  :  a  Gothic  basihca, 

and,  separated  from  it  by  a  httle  grass-grown 
19— (2230) 


290  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


piazza^  the  remains  of  a  thirteenth  century 
palace,  with  a  fagade  of  white  marble  and 
Lavagna  stone,  arranged  alternately.  The 
church  has  a  magnificent  rose  window,  a 
tower  with  most  exquisitely  carved  windows, 
and  its  striped  front  clearly  denotes  its 
aristocratic  origin.  Above  the  doorway — if 
memory  speaks  truly — its  history  is  recorded. 
It  was  founded  in  1244  by  the  great  Pope 
Innocent  IV,  who,  as  we  know,  was  a 
Fieschi,  and  was  completed  in  1252  by  his 
nephew,  Cardinal  Ottobuono,  who,  twenty- 
four  years  later,  was  himself  to  become 
Rome's  pastor,"  and  discover  that  until 
then  he  was,  as  Dante  makes  him  say, 
a  soul  in  misery  — 

....  alienate 

From  God,  and  covetous  of  all  earthly  things. 

The  house  facing  the  church  is  part  of  one 
of  the  numerous  residences  which  the  mem- 
bers of  this  great  family  built  in  this  district. 
The  Counts  of  Lavagna  had  jurisdiction  in 
the  Middle  Ages  over  all  the  places  along  the 
coast  from  Sestri  to  Rapallo,  and  as  far 
into  the  mountains  as  Varese  Ligure.  Above 
San  Salvatore  stood  their  Castle  of  Caloso, 
and  until  1198,  when,  in  consequence  of 
having  broken  their  agreements  with  the 


At  Sestri  Levante  and  Varese  Ligure  291 


Genoese,  they  were  forced  to  cede  Lavagna 
to  the  Commune,  they  were  the  sole  masters 
on  the  banks  of  the  Entella.  They  con- 
tinued to  prosper,  however,  until  1547,  the 
year  in  which  Gian  Luigi  Fieschi  undertook 
his  unfortunate  conspiracy  against  the 
Republic.  The  decadence  of  the  family, 
which  became  divided  into  two  branches — 
the  Fieschis  of  Lavagna,  and  those  of 
Savignoni — dates  from  that  time. 

Sestri  Levante,  the  first  place  which  Dante 
deemed  worthy  of  mention  after  he  had  left 
the  Valdimagra,  stands  in  a  beautiful  situation 
on  the  plain  at  the  mouth  of  the  Gromolo 
torrent  and  on  the  narrow  strip  of  land  which 
joins  this  fertile  district  of  orange  groves  and 
vineyards  to  the  rocky,  mountainous  pro- 
montory known  as  the  Isola.^  With  its 
pink,  white,  and  lemon-coloured  houses  fol- 
lowing the  graceful  bend  of  the  sandy  beach  ; 
its  multicoloured  fishing-boats  arranged  in  a 
line  along  the  sands  ;  its  beautiful  public 
garden,  containing  palms,  yuccas,  magnolias, 

^  The  natural  beauties  of  Sestri  Levante  were  especially- 
admired  by  Byron  and  the  German  poet  Paul  Heyse. 
The  latter,  who  visited  Sestri  for  the  first  time  in  1862, 
writes  most  enthusiastically  of  the  Villa  Piuma  and  the 
Isola,  where  he  was  happy  to  find  a  brother  poet  in  the 
person  of  Monsignore  Vincenzo  Podesta. 


292  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


oleanders,  and  pepper-trees,  Sestri  is  a  place, 
either  during  the  winter  or  the  summer  season, 
for  a  fairly  prolonged  sojourn.  The  character 
of  the  coast  scenery  is  similar  to  that  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Rapallo  and  Portofino. 
Of  the  numerous  beautiful  walks  which  can 
be  made  in  the  district,  there  are  two  which 
every  visitor  considers  it  a  primary  duty  to 
take  ere  he  or  she  has  been  there  many 
hours.  One  is  to  the  grounds  of  the  Villa 
Piuma,  situated  on  the  highest  part  of  the 
Isola,  around  the  base  of  the  ruins  of  the 
castle  which  the  Republic  of  Genoa  built 
there  in  1134,  with  the  consent  of  the  monks 
of  San  Fruttuoso,  who  held  rights  over  this 
portion  of  the  promontory ;  the  other  is 
along  a  mule-path  which  starts  from  the 
main  street  of  the  town  and,  following  the 
coast  to  the  east,  reaches  a  point,  high  above 
the  sea  and  clad  with  maritime  pines,  where 
a  fine  view  of  the  Isola  and  the  distant  coast- 
line, as  far  as  the  Peninsula  of  Portofino,  can 
be  obtained. 

On  reaching  Sestri,  our  way  no  longer  lay 
along  the  carriage  road  to  Spezzia.  Though 
this  would  have  been  the  more  direct  route 
to  the  point  where  our  travels  in  Liguria 
were  to  end,  we  decided,  since  it  passed 


At  Sestri  Levante  and  Varese  Ligure  293 


through  a  rather  deserted  district,  to  proceed 
inland  to  Varese  Ligure,  over  the  Colle  di 
Velva  (1,635  feet),  thence  to  Borgotaro,  by 
way  of  the  Colle  di  Centocroci  (3,160  feet), 
and  to  descend  to  Spezzia  by  the  valleys  of 
the  Taro  and  the  Magra.  The  deviation  is 
one  which  can  be  recommended  not  only  to 
the  lover  of  mountain  scenery,  but  also  to 
the  geologist  and  mineralogist,  who  will  find 
many  things  to  interest  them  in  these  valleys. 
The  serpentine  formation  of  the  rocks  can 
be  admirably  studied  there,  as  well  as  to  the 
east  of  Sestri  Levante,  and  whilst  on  your 
way  to  Varese  you  pass  through  the  district 
of  the  copper  mines  of  the  Eastern  Riviera. 
These  mines — the  Libiola,  the  Gallinaria,  the 
Bargone,  and  others — produced,  in  1903, 
7,621  tons  of  copper,  valued  at  nearly  £13,000. 
Some  of  the  ore  is  smelted  at  the  works 
of  the  Societa  Ligure  Ramifera  at  Bargonasco, 
at  the  confluence  of  the  Petronia  and  Bargone 
torrents,  about  four  miles  from  Sestri  Levante. 
There  are  also  manganese  mines  at  Tre 
Monti  and  Gambatesa ;  and  in  the  Valle- 
grande  ravine,  near  Bargonasco,  in  an 
abandoned  gallery,  the  rare  mineral  called 
datolite  has  been  found. 

Ere  reaching  the  Colle  di  Velva,  where  you 


294  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


begin  to  descend  into  the  valley  of  the  Vara, 
you  pass  three  picturesque  mountain  villages 
— Castiglione  Chiavarese,  Missano,  and  Velva 
— each  sunning  itself  on  the  slope  of  a  hill. 
But  there  is  no  special  inducement  to  linger 
by  the  way.  The  historical  interest  which  is 
centred  in  Varese  Ligure  makes  you  keen  to 
cover  the  thirty-three  kilometres  of  winding 
roadway  that  separates  it  from  the  coast ; 
and,  as  you  wiU  find,  it  is  a  wise  plan  to  have 
as  much  time  as  possible  to  spend  at  this 
half-way-house  between  Sestri  and  Borgotaro. 

Varese,  which  as  a  summer  resort  (its 
altitude  is  a  Uttle  over  a  thousand  feet)  bears 
the  same  relation  to  Sestri  as  Torriglia  does 
to  Genoa,  is  a  very  ancient  town  on  the 
banks  of  the  Vara.  It  was  formerly  one  of 
the  strongholds  of  the  Fieschis,  and  as  such 
was  strongly  fortified  with  walls,  moats,  and 
a  castle.  The  last  named,  which  was  built 
by  a  celebrated  condottiere  named  Nicolo 
Piccinino  in  1440,  is  all  that  now  remains  of 
these  defences.  The  old  town  was  circular 
in  form,  with  the  castle,  in  all  probability, 
in  the  centre,  and  some  of  the  houses  and  a 
portion  of  the  circular  portici  of  this  mediaeval 
borgo,  which  was  governed  by  its  own  statutes, 
are  still  standing  behind  the  two  ruined 


At  Sestri  Levante  and  Varese  Ligure  295 


towers  of  the  castello.  There  is  also  a  very 
old  and  picturesque  bridge  over  the  Vara, 
and  at  one  end  let  into  the  wall,  is  a  bas- 
relief  which  is,  perhaps,  the  oldest  thing  in 
Varese.  This  curious  carving — an  example  of 
very  early  Christian  art — bears  a  rude  repre- 
sentation of  five  human  figures.  Those  in 
the  centre  are  clearly  meant  to  be  Mary  and 
Christ,  since  the  head  of  the  former  is  sur- 
mounted by  a  crown,  whilst  a  dove,  the  Holy 
Ghost,  is  flying  towards  her  ;  the  Crucifixion 
is  represented  on  the  right,  and  the  figure 
next  to  the  Virgin  is  probably  meant  to  be 
Joseph.  But  I  am  at  a  loss  to  say  who  is 
indicated  by  the  remaining  figure,  with  what 
appears  to  be  a  scythe  suspended  over  his 
head, — unless  this  symbol  represents  Death  ? 

Opposite  the  castle  is  a  building  which  few 
visitors  to  Varese  Ligure  fail  to  visit,  though 
it  is  neither  art  nor  architecture  which 
attracts  them  there.  It  is  a  church  with 
two  fine  bell-towers  and  a  very  high  cupola 
— the  church  of  the  nuns  of  San  FiUppo  Neri, 
an  order  following  the  rules  of  Saint  Augus- 
tine. Ignorant  of  the  strict  regulations  which 
govern  the  fives  of  the  inmates  of  this  monas- 
tery, I  sought  to  inspect  that  part  of  the 
establishment  where,  for  the  benefit  of  the 


296  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


poor  of  the  district,  these  holy  women  carry 
on  a  very  interesting  industry :  that  of 
drying  mushrooms  and  making  confectionery. 
But  I  found  that  this  was  impossible  ;  no 
human  being,  save  a  priest  to  hear  confessions 
and  a  doctor  to  give  medical  advice,  ever  puts 
his  or  her  foot  across  the  threshold  of  those 
sacred  precincts.  You  can  enter  a  little 
vestibule  and  talk  with  one  of  the  nuns  who 
stands  behind  a  revolving  apparatus  with 
shelves,  but  look  upon  her  face  you  cannot ; 
you  can  step  into  an  adjoining  waiting-room 
and  sample  the  confectionery,  which  will  be 
brought  to  you  by  an  attendant,  who  herself 
has  never  seen  any  of  the  sisters  of  this 
convent ;  and  if  you  are  satisfied  with  their 
wares,  you  can  give  your  order  and  shortly 
receive,  at  the  above-named  revolving  counter, 
a  neatly  made  up  parcel  of  sweetmeats,  made 
of  almond  paste  and  fashioned  in  the  form 
of  fruit,  flowers,  and  fishes,  each  with  its 
appropriate  colouring.  Similarly,  you  can 
purchase  samples  of  the  dried  fungi  which 
the  nuns  of  San  Filippo  Neri  export  to  all 
parts  of  the  world.  But  there  your  powers 
end,  for  once  these  women  have  taken  their 
final  vows,  after  having  paid  the  entrance  fee 
of  3,000  lire  and  spent  their  year's  novitiate, 


At  Sestri  Levante  and  Varese  Ligure  297 


they  are  invisible  to  all  save  the  two 
people  I  have  named.  Some  fifty  years  ago, 
this  community  of  sisters  possessed  a  capital 
of  30,908  lire,  producing  an  income  of  1,431 
lire.  Both  must  now  be  very  much  larger, 
so  the  poor  of  Varese  Ligure  and  neighbour- 
hood may  consider  themselves  extremely 
fortunate.  Though  it  is  difficult  to  obtain 
any  definite  information,  it  is  said  that 
these  Augustinian  nuns  live  very  happy  and 
healthy  lives,  and  when,  from  the  slopes  of 
the  surrounding  hills,  one  looks  down  upon 
their  beautiful  and  extensive  garden,  whose 
produce  they  also  sell,  one  can  readily 
believe  it. 

The  Colle  di  Centocroci,  or  Hill  of  the 
Hundred  Crosses,  over  which  you  have  to 
pass  when  travelling  from  Varese  to  Borgo- 
taro,  is  over  three  thousand  feet  in  height. 
Situated  between  the  valley  of  the  Vara  and 
that  of  the  Taro,  it  forms  a  pass  of  the 
Apennines  which  was  formerly  the  sole  com- 
mercial route  between  the  Principality  of 
Parma  and  the  sea.  The  ancient  Parmesan 
custom-house,  now  transformed  into  an  inn 
where  comfortable  accommodation  can  be 
obtained  during  the  summer  months,  is  still 
there  to  remind  us  of  this  period.    The  name 


298  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


of  the  CoUe,  too,  carries  our  minds  back  to 
the  days  when  thousands  of  bales  of  mer- 
chandise were  annually  transported  on  the 
backs  of  mules  over  this  hill  into  Liguria. 
According  to  local  tradition,  a  band  of 
robbers,  disguised  as  monks,  used  to  attack 
and  murder  the  muleteers,  or  other  travellers, 
and  from  the  large  number  of  crosses  which 
were  raised  on  the  mountain  to  the  memory 
of  these  victims  it  ultimately  took  its  name. 


Early  Christian  art  at   Varese  Ligure 


The  Bay  of  Spezzia  from  the  hill  above  Poriovenere 


CHAPTER  XIV 

FROM  BORGOTARO  TO  SPEZZIA  AND 
BEYOND 

BoRGOTARO  is  an  ancient,  fortified  town  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  River  Taro.  It  was  once 
a  feudal  possession  of  the  Fieschi  family, 
who  struck  money  there,  and,  like  many 
another  old  place  off  the  beaten  track,  it  still 
retains  that  ineffable  charm  which  we  associate 

299 


300  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


with  strongholds  in  the  hills,  picturesque 
castles,  and  powerful  families.  Facing  the 
town's  little  piazza  is  the  castle,  now  the 
town  hall,  making  a  fine  show  with  its 
painted  front.  Near  by,  on  the  same  square, 
is  a  monument  in  honour  of  the  visit  of 
Elizabeth  Farnese  in  1714,  when  she  passed 
through  Borgotaro  on  her  way  to  Spain  to 
become  the  wife  of  Philip  V.  And  in  the 
main  street  is  a  fine  old  mansion,  with 
imposing  stucco  ornamentations,  and  the 
arms  of  the  Farnesi  and  Bourbons.  But  no 
one  goes  to  Borgotaro  specially  to  see  these 
antiquities.  Travellers  who  find  their  way 
there  look  at  them  merely  en  passant^  gene- 
rally whilst  making  the  town  a  centre — and 
an  excellent  centre  it  is — for  excursions  into 
the  mountains. 

To  us,  Borgotaro  was  but  a  stopping  place 
on  our  way  to  the  valley  of  the  Magra,  which, 
since  it  marks  the  eastern  limits  of  Liguria, 
we  proposed  to  follow  nearly  as  far  as  the 
sea.  We  made  our  first  acquaintance  with 
the  famous  stream  at  Pontremoli,  which  we 
reached  after  a  good  four  hours'  tramp. 
Rising  in  Monte  Orsaro,  the  Magra,  in  its 
course  of  forty-seven  miles  to  Cape  Corvo, 
assumes  the  most  noble  proportions,  and  I 


From  Borgotaro  to  Spezzia  and  Beyond  301 


know  no  pleasanter  occupation  than  to  follow 
such  a  river  from  source  to  debouchure,  and 
to  note  its  gradual  growth  and  ever-increasing 
diversity  of  landscape,  We  saw  some  of  the 
principal  mountain  torrents  which  mingle 
with  its  waters  :  the  Verde  at  Pontremoli, 
the  Capra  at  Scorcetoli,  the  Bagnone  at 
Villafranca  in  Lunigiana,  and  the  Aulella  at 
AuUa.  In  summer  its  broad  bed  is  so  dry- 
that  the  thrifty  people  of  Pontremoli  convert 
a  portion  into  kitchen  gardens.  It  is  a  case 
of  first  come,  first  served,  and  each  small- 
holder encloses  his  square  of  land  with  a 
roughly-constructed  wall  of  boulders.  But 
when  winter  and  the  rainy  season  comes,  the 
Magra  demands  ample  elbow-room,  and 
everything  is  quickly  swept  away. 

Castles  and  ancient  buildings  are  numerous 
in  the  historic  valley  of  the  Magra.  There  is 
an  interesting  castello  at  Pontremoli,  now 
partly  occupied  by  the  inhabitants  of  that 
remarkably  picturesque  town,  and  at  SS. 
Annunziata,  a  suburb,  a  fine  church  and 
convent,  built  in  1471,  and  formerly  occupied 
by  Agostinian  monks.  This  is  another  of 
the  districts,  by  the  by,  which  is  associated 
with  Dante  ;  not  many  miles  away  is  Mulazzo, 
wheie  the  Malaspinas  received  the  poet  after 


302  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


his  banishment  from  Florence  in  1306.  ^ 
Mulazzo  and  Villafranca  in  Lunigiana  were 
two  of  the  favourite  places  of  residence  of  the 
Malaspinas,  and  at  the  latter  place  one  of 
their  castles  is  still  standing.  The  district  is 
still  inhabited  by  descendants  of  this  noble 
house,  but  their  power  has  long  since  departed, 
and  you  find  them  now  working  as  millers, 
carpenters,  and  common  labourers.  There  is 
also  an  ancient  castle  at  Terrarossa,  and 
another,  known  as  La  Brunella,  at  Aulla, 
which  dates  from  1543. 

Spezzia  is  the  great  naval  base  of  northern 
Italy.  Militarism  is  the  dominant  note  of  its 
streets,  its  incomparable  harbour,  and  the 
surrounding  circle  of  hills.  Its  gardens  and 
shady  avenues  are  ever  crowded  with  smartly- 
dressed  officers  and  blue-jackets.  Pyramids 
of  shells  are  on  the  quays,  and  long  rows  of 
torpedo  boats  are  moored  alongside.  Out  in 
the  bay  blue-gray  ironclads  ride  at  anchor 
and  are  continually  reminding  you  that  noth- 
ing would  be  easier  than  to  crush  you  out  of 

^  See  Canto  VIII  of  Purgatory,  in  which  Conrad  Malas- 
pina  predicts  Dante's  future  banishment.  The  Divina 
Commedia  contains  other  references  to  members  of  this 
great  family  who  "  once  were  mighty  in  Valdimagra  "  : 
to  Alagia  de'  Fieschi  Malaspina,  Purgatory  XIX  ;  and  to 
Moroello  Malaspina,  Inferno  XXIV. 


From  Borgotaro  to  Spezzia  and  Beyond  303 


existence.  As  you  pass  in  row  boat  or 
steamer,  on  one  of  your  inoffensive  excursions 
in  search  of  the  picturesque,  there  is  a  sudden 
flash  from  one  of  the  big  guns — pointed,  as 
it  happens,  straight  towards  you- — the  sea- 
birds  wheel  away  with  terrified  screams,  the 
echoes  are  awakened,  and  you  bless  your 
stars  that  only  blank  cartridge  is  being  used. 
A  grim  circle  of  forts,  constructed  in  1888,  are 
visible  on  the  high  hills,  and  there  is  hardly 
a  creek  which  has  not  been  provided  with 
bastions  and  cannon. 

Notwithstanding  this  blemish,  which  did 
not  exist  in  the  days  when  Byron  and  Shelley 
sojourned  in  the  district,  Spezzia  is  a  very 
brisk  and  pleasant  little  town.  As  a  centre  for 
excursions  into  the  country  it  could  not  be 
improved  upon.  One  of  our  most  memor- 
able outings  was  to  the  Cinque  Terre  :  Monte- 
rosso  al  Mare,  Vernazza,  Cornigha,  Manarola, 
and  Riomaggiore,  five  ancient  villages  pent 
in  between  the  sea  and  the  rocky  coast  which 
in  the  twelfth  century  were  banded  together 
and  gained  a  reputation  for  robbing  anyone 
who  passed  that  way.  With  their  castles, 
steep,  crooked  streets,  and  terraced,  vine -clad 
hill-sides,  they  are  ideal  spots  for  the  painter 
and    photographer.      All     are  celebrated 


304  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


for  their  wines,  especially  Riomaggiore 
which  produces  a  vino  bianco  of  exquisite 
bouquet,  and  Corniglia,  whose  vino  vernaccia 
is  mentioned  both  by  Boccaccio  and  Dante.  ^ 
Portovenere,  a  village  in  a  magnificent 
position  on  the  western  point  of  the  gulf,  and 
separated  from  the  Isle  of  Palmaria  by  a 
narrow  strip  of  water,  is  reached  either  by 
road  or  steamer.  No  visitor  to  Spezzia  ever 
fails  to  feast  his  or  her  eyes  on  the  beauties 
of  ancient  Portus  Veneris.  Tall,  irregular, 
weather-beaten  houses  rise  high  above  the 
sea.  On  the  hill  above  stands  the  ruins  of  a 
twelfth  century  castle,  and  here  and  there, 
in  the  village  and  on  the  hill-side,  are  the 
remains  of  the  fortifications  which  defended 
the  place  when,  as  an  inscription  over  the 
entrance  tells  us  Colonia  Januensium- — 
1113''),  it  was  a  Genoese  colony.  Porto- 
venere and  Palmaria  are  celebrated  for  a 
very  beautiful  marble,  generally  black,  veined 
with  yellow,  and  known  as  Portoro.  The 

^  Ebbe  la  Santa  Chiesa  in  le  sue  braccia  : 
Dal  Torso  fu,  e  purga  per  digiuno 
L'anguille  di  Bolsena  e  la  vernaccia. 

Purgatorio,  Canto  XXIV,  22-24. 

Had  keep  of  the  Church  ;  he  was  of  Tours, 
And  purges  by  wan  abstinence  away 
Bolsena's  eels  and  cups  of  muscadel. 


From  Borgotaro  to  Spezzia  and  Beyond  305 


marble  quarries  here  are  the  only  important 
ones  in  the  whole  of  Liguria,  and  are,  therefore, 
well  worth  seeing.  Those  of  Palmaria  are 
the  most  convenient  to  visit,  since  they  can 
be  seen  whilst  making  an  excursion  by  boat 
to  the  Caverna  dei  Colombi,  a  sea-swept 
cavern  on  the  island  where  human  bones 
and  utensils  of  the  stone  age  have  been  found. 
There  is  another  cavern,  or  grotto,  at  Porto- 
venere,  which  the  small  boys  of  the  place 
are  very  eager  to  point  out  to  English  visitors 
as  the  spot  where  Byron  landed  when  he 
swam  over  from  Lerici.  But  we  were  not 
to  be  tempted  by  their  offers  as  guides,  for 
we  knew  that,  though  the  poet  undoubtedly 
frequented  Portovenere,  there  was  no 
foundation  for  this  legend. 

On  leaving  Spezzia  I  took  the  steamer,  in 
company  with  my  friend,  to  Lerici.  As  the 
little  vessel  slowed  down  and  entered  the 
harbour,  the  Antiquary  was  ready  with  an 
appropriate  quotation  from  his  favourite  poet. 

The  most  remote. 
Most  wild,  untrodden  path,  in  all  the  tract 
'Twixt  Lerici  and  Turbia,  were  to  this 
A  ladder  easy  and  open  of  access,  ^ 

^  Tra  Lerici  e  Turbia,  la  piu  diserta. 
La  piu  romita  via  e  une  scala. 
Verso  di  quella,  agevole  ed  aperta. 

Purgatorio,  III,  49-51. 

20 — (2230) 


306  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


sings  Dante,  in  describing  the  steepness  of 
the  mountain  of  Purgatory,  at  the  foot  of 
which  he  and  Virgil  halt,  ere  a  troop  of 
spirits  show  them  the  easiest  ascent. 

But  we  have  no  need  to  go  to  the  Divina 
Commedia  to  prove  the  antiquity  of  Lerici. 
Without  going  back  as  far  as  Hercules,  who, 
according  to  an  ancient  legend,  was  its 
founder,  it  is  evident  that  Lerici  and  its 
picturesque  castle,  perched  on  a  little  head- 
land, at  whose  base  the  village  nestles,  were 
of  importance  long  before  Dante's  day.  Old 
though  the  present  castle  is — and  it  was 
founded  by  the  Genoese  some  time  between 
1174  and  1241 — it  was  preceded  by  a  still 
older  one,  owned  by  the  ,Malaspinas.  Count- 
ing for  much  in  the  balance  as  a  military 
position,  it  was  much  coveted,  during  the 
thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries,  by  the 
rival  powers  of  Genoa  and  Pisa.  Between 
1241  and  1256  it  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
Pisans,  who  considerably  strengthened  the 
work  of  their  predecessors.  But  they  were 
not  content  with  this  victory  alone  :  they 
insulted  the  Genoese  and  their  other  enemies, 
the  people  of  Portovenere  and  Lucca,  by 
carving  the  following  lines  between  two  of 
the  towers  — 


4 


lift  *  I '  f     '  ^  I 


From  Borgotaro  to  Spezzia  and  Beyond  307 


Scopa  boca  al  Zenoese 
Crepacuore  al  Portovenerese 
Strappa  borsello  al  Lucchese — 

an  inscription  which,  perhaps,  would  have 
been  hardly  noteworthy  but  for  the  fact  that 
it  was  the  first  one  in  the  common  tongue  to 
be  inscribed  on  marble.  The  Genoese,  how- 
ever, had  their  revenge  ;  they  recaptured  the 
castle,  considerably  added  to  it,  and,  later, 
made  the  Pisans  pay  dearly  for  their  insolence. 
From  1477  to  1562  it  was  in  the  possession 
of  the  Officio  di  San  Giorgio.  ^ 

But  these  historical  memories  were,  in  my 
case,  at  any  rate,  a  little  overshadowed  by 
other  recollections.  Whilst  lending  an  ear  to 
the  tale  which  was  spun  from  my  friend's 
well-stored  mind,  and  admiring  the  charming 
picture  formed  by  the  castle,  the  tall,  har- 
moniously coloured  houses  stretched  along 
the  quays,  and  the  reflections  of  the  sailing 
boats  in  the  still  waters  of  the  harbour,  I 
could  not  forget  that,  at  but  a  short  distance 
away,  on  the  other  side  of  the  little  bay  which 
the  castles  of  Lerici  and  San  Terenzo  guarded 
so  well  in  former  days,  was  an  attraction 
which  to  an  Englishman  made  the  strongest 
of  appeals.    Who,  indeed,  could  fail  to  be 

1  See  pp.  217-220. 


308  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


drawn  towards  the  Casa  Magni  and  to  be 
moved  by  the  story  of  the  last  days  of 
Shelley  ?  What  story,  in  the  whole  range 
of  modern  literature,  is  more  touching  or 
more  dramatic  ? 

The  Casa  Magni,  which  the  inhabitants  of 
San  Terenzo  now  call  the  Villa  Maccarani,  is 
one  of  the  first  houses  to  which  you  come  on 
walking  along  the  coast  from  Lerici.  With 
the  exception  of  one  or  two  unimportant 
architectural  details,  and  a  few  changes 
which  time  has  wrought  in  its  surroundings,  ^ 
the  Casa  Magni  bears  the  same  appearance 
to-day  as  on  that  1st  of  May,  1822,  when 
Mary  Shelley,  the  poet,  and  their  friends  took 

1  Comparison  between  a  modern  photograph  of  the  house 
and  Captain  D.  Roberts'  sketch,  published  in  E.  J.  Tre- 
lawny's  Recollections  of  the  Last  Days  of  Shelley  and  Byron 
(Edward  Moxon,  1858)  make  the  architectural  changes 
clear.  As  to  its  changed  surroundings,  my  authority  is 
Mantegazza,  who,  in  his  description  of  the  original  appear- 
ance of  the  building,  refers  to  it  as  "  une  casa  antica,  rozza, 
coi  piedi  nel  mare  e  coUe  spalle  difese  da  un  monte  sempre 
verde  di  pini  e  di  lecci  " — "  a  rude  and  ancient  house,  with 
its  feet  in  the  sea  and  its  back  defended  by  a  hill,  which 
was  ever  green  with  pines  and  oaks."  This  well-known 
Italian  writer,  who  did  much  towards  making  Shelley's 
greatness  known  to  his  countrymen,  was,  I  understand, 
the  one  who  composed  the  inscription  on  the  white  marble 
tablet  which  is  fixed  above  the  entrance  to  the  Casa  Magni^ — 
an  inscription  which  speaks  of  the  portico  being  formerly 
within  "  the  ancient  shade  of  a  green  oak." 


From  Borgotaro  to  Spezzia  and  Beyond  309 


possession  of  it.  The  green  oak  which  shaded 
its  portico  has  disappeared  and,  through  the 
making  of  the  coast  road,  its  base  is  no  longer 
precipitous  to  the  sea.  But  its  broad  terrace 
or  verandah,  with  five  arches  in  front  and 
one  at  each  end — a  terrace  running  the  whole 
length  of  the  house — is  the  same  as  when 
Trelawny  and  Williams  chose  it  as  a  summer 
residence  for  the  Shelleys.  The  windows  of 
Mary's  and  Shelley's  rooms  looked  out,  and 
still  look  out,  upon  this  terrace,  on  to  which, 
says  Professor  Dowden  in  his  Life  of  Shelley ^ 
''an  occupant  of  the  dining-hall  could  step 
out  and  in  a  moment  stand  in  the  presence 
of  a  landscape  and  sea  view  of  unimaginable 
loveliness."  The  Casa  Magni  then  consisted 
of  a  ground  floor  and  one  storey.  Two  stair- 
cases, one  public,  the  other  intended  for  a 
private  staircase,  led  to  the  large  dining-hall, 
off  which  to  the  rear  was  Mrs.  Williams's  bed- 
room ;  while  the  seaward  rooms,  occupied  by 
Mary  and  Shelley,  faced  each  other  on  oppo- 
site sides  of  the  central  hall."  ^  Judging  by 
Trelawny' s  account  of  his  visit  to  the  house 
after  the  tragedy,  it  can  have  been  anything 
but  a  prepossessing  residence  when  the  tenants 
took  possession.       I  arrived  early  at  Lerici," 

^  Dowden,  loc.  cit. 


310  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


he  says,  and  determined  to  sleep  there,  and 
finish  my  journey  to  Genoa  on  the  following 
day.  In  the  evening  I  walked  to  the  Villa 
Magni.  .  .  I  walked  in.  Shelley's  shattered 
skiff  .  .  .  was  still  there  :  in  that  little  flat- 
bottomed  boat  he  had  written  many  beautiful 
things : — 

'  Our  boat  is  asleep  on  Serchio's  stream. 
The  sails  are  furled  like  thoughts  in  a  dream  .  .  .* 

And  here  it  was,  sleeping  still  on  the  mud  floor, 
with  its  mast  and  oars  broken.  I  mounted 
the  stairs,  or  rather  ladder,  into  the  dining- 
room  they  had  lived  in.  ...  As  I  surveyed  its 
splatchy-walls,  broken  floor,  cracked  ceiling, 
and  poverty-struck  appearance,  while  I  noted 
the  loneliness  of  the  situation,  and  remem- 
bered the  fury  of  the  waves  that  in  blowing 
weather  lashed  its  walls,  I  did  not  marvel  at 
Mrs.  Shelley's  and  Mrs.  Williams's  groans  on 
first  entering  it,  nor  that  it  had  required  all 
Ned  Williams's  persuasive  powers  to  induce 
them  to  stop  there.  We  men  had  only  looked 
at  the  sea  and  scenery,  and  would  have  been 
satisfied  with  a  tent.  But  women  look  to  a 
house  as  their  empire.  Ladies  without  a 
drawing-room  are  like  pictures  without 
frames  or  birds  without  feathers  ;  knowing 


From  Borgotaro  to  Spezzia  and  Beyond  311 


this,  they  set  to  work  with  a  will,  and  trans- 
formed it  into  a  very  pleasant  abode/'  ^  In 
spite,  however,  of  Mary  Shelley's  efforts  to 
make  the  place  homely,  her  mind  was  far 
from  being  at  ease.  My  nerves  were  wound 
up  to  the  utmost  irritation,  and  the  sense  of 
misfortune  hung  over  my  spirits,"  she  wrote 
to  Mrs.  Gisborne.  No  words  can  tell  you 
how  I  hated  our  house  and  the  country  about 
it.  Shelley  reproached  me  with  this.  His 
health  was  good,  and  the  place  was  quite 
after  his  own  heart.  What  could  I  answer  ? 
That  the  people  were  wild  and  hateful ;  that 
though  the  country  was  beautiful,  yet  I 
liked  a  more  countrified  place,  and  that  there 
was  great  difficulty  in  living  ;  that  all  our 
Tuscans  would  leave  us,  and  that  the  very 
jargon  of  these  Genoese  was  disgusting." 
Shelley's  enthusiasm  for  the  divine  bay  of 
Spezzia,  where  he  spent  his  time  reading 
Spanish  dramas,  and  sailing,  and  listening  to 
the  most  enchanting  music,"  ^  blinded  his 
eyes  to  the  manifest  defects  of  the  Casa 
Magni.  Yet  he  himself  was  not  unaffected 
at  times  by  the  sense  of  tragedy  which 
seemed  to  hover  over  the  house  from  the  very 

^  Trelawny,  loc.  cit. 

2  Letter  to  Horatio  Smith,  dated  Lerici,  June  29,  1822. 


312  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


first.    Only  a  few  days  after  entering  into 
occupation,  the  poet,  seizing  Williams  by 
the  arm,  had  a  vision  of  a  naked  child  (AUegra, 
the  daughter  of  Claire  Clairmont)  rising  from 
the  sea  and  clapping  its  hands.    In  the 
midst  of  his  boyish  delight  at  the  newly- 
acquired  sailing-boat,  the  Don  Juan,  which, 
when  tried  in  the  bay,  passed  the  smaller 
craft  ''as  a  comet  might  pass  the  dullest 
planet  of  the  heavens,'*  ^  thoughts  of  death  and 
the  means  of  avoiding     needless  suffering 
were   often   uppermost   in   his   mind.  He 
wrote  to  Trelawny  asking  him  to  have  the 
*'  great  kindness    to  procure  a  small  quantity 
of  prussic  acid,  adding,  "  I  need  not  tell  you 
I  have  no  intention  of  suicide  at  present,  but 
I  confess  it  would  be  a  comfort  to  me  to  hold  in 
my  possession  that  golden  key  to  the  chamber 
of  perpetual  rest."  ^    Mary's  illness  at  last 
resulted  in  Shelley's  dehcate  nerves  being 
completely  shattered,  so  that  his  sleep  was 
troubled  by  the  most  horrible  visions — the 
invasion  of  the  Casa  Magni  by  the  sea,  the 
fall  of  the  house,  the  occupants'  lacerated 
bodies,  and  a  vision  of  himself  strangling  his 
beloved  one. 

^  Letter  to  Trelawny,  dated  Lerici,  May  16,  1822. 
2  Letter  from  Lerici,  dated  June  18,  1822. 


From  Borgotaro  to  Spezzia  and  Beyond  313 


As  we  stood,  with  the  sound  of  the  sea  in 
our  ears,  and  read  the  inscription^  on  the 
marble  tablet  above  the  entrance  to  the  Casa 
Magni,  relating  how  in  July,  1822,  Mary 
Godwin  and  Jane  Williams  had  waited  with 
tearful  anxiety  for  Percy  Bysshe  Shelley, 
who,  whilst  sailing  from  Leghorn  in  his  frail 
boat,  had  been  borne  to  the  silence  of  the 
Elysian  islands,'*  how  vividly  every  detail  of 
the  tragedy  in  which  that  house  had  played 
its  part  came  home  to  us  !  With  the  aid  of 
Trelawny's  Recollections ,  and  the  fuller, 
more  accurate,  information  which,  since  the 
publication  of  that  work,  has  been  brought 
to  light  by  Guido  Biagi,  ^  and  other  searchers,  ^ 
the  picture  of  the  poet's  life  at  San  Terenzo 
was  complete  in  every  particular.  We  could 
imagine  we  were  witnesses  of  Shelley's  and 
Wilhams's  enthusiasm  on  the  arrival  of  the 

^  It  runs  as  follows,  and  a  little  to  the  right  was  sus- 
pended a  wreath  of  laurels  :  "  Da  questo  portico  in  cui  si 
abbateva I'antica  ombra  diun  leccio,  il  lugliodelMDCCXXII 
Mary  Godwin  e  Jane  Williams  attesero  con  lagrimanto 
ansia  Percy  Bysshe  Shelley  che  da  Liverno  su  fragil 
legno  veleggiando  era  approdato  per  improvisa  fortuna  ai 
silenzii  de  le  isole  elisei.  O  benedette  spiagge,  ove  I'amore. 
la  liberta,  i  sogni  non  hanno  catene  !  " 

2  Gli  ultimi  Giorni  di  P.  B.  Shelley.  G.  Cioelli,  Florence, 
1892. 

^  La  Spezzia— d  P.  B.Shelley.  Oii.  Tip.  "LaSociale." 
Spezzia. 


314  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


Don  Juan  ;  we  could  see  them  testing  her 
capabilities,  and  the  poet  taking  his  first 
lessons  in  seamanship.  The  two  friends 
"  were  hardly  ever  out  of  her,  and  talked 
of  the  Mediterranean  as  a  lake  too  confined 
and  tranquil  to  exhibit  her  sea-going  excel- 
lence. They  longed  to  be  on  the  broad 
Atlantic,  scudding  under  bare  poles  in  a 
heavy  sou'wester,  with  plenty  of  sea  room.'*  ^ 
There  they  were,  practising  in  front  of  the 
house,  whilst  Mary  and  Mrs.  Williams  looked 
on  from  their  terrace.  The  poet,  with  his 
beloved  Plato  in  his  hand,  was  trying  to 
read  and  steer  at  the  same  time ;  and  as 
the  boat,  in  consequence,  became  unmanage- 
able, Williams  was  rating  him  for  his  neglect 
and  inattention  to  orders.  ^  A  few  days 
having  elapsed,  Shelley  had  become  more 
skilful.  They  ventured,  now,  to  take  the 
Don  Juan  towards  the  point  on  which  stands 
the  Castle  of  Lerici.  Becoming  still  bolder, 
they  waved  a  farewell  to  their  wives  and 
sailed  away  to  the  Punta  del  Corvo,  or  to 
the  Isle  of  Palmaria  and  Portovenere,  or  to 
Spezzia,  which  was  then  a  place  of  little 
importance.    And  thus  did  Shelley,  under 

^  Trelawny,  loc.  cit. 
2  Ibid.,  loc.  cit. 


From  Borgotaro  to  Spezzia  and  Beyond  315 


Williams's  guidance,  serve  his  apprenticeship 
to  the  element  which  was  so  soon  to  claim 
him  as  its  own. 

It  was  not  without  warning  that  Shelley, 
on  that  stormy  8th  of  July,  when  he  and 
Williams  and  a  sailor  boy  set  sail  from 
Leghorn  in  answer  to  a  letter  from  Mrs. 
Shelley,  recalling  them  to  the  Casa  Magni, 
went  to  his  death.  Many  a  time,  as  an  old 
priest  of  San  Terenzo,  named  De  Marchis, 
related  to  Mantegazza,  did  the  sailors  of  the 
district  warn  the  poet  not  to  venture  out  in 
the  Don  Juan  when  the  Mediterranean  was 
in  a  treacherous  mood.  ^  But,  in  the  same 
spirit  which  prompted  him  never  to  learn  to 
swim,  he  took  no  heed  of  advice.  Surely  no 
one  was  ever  more  indifferent  to  death  than 
he  ;  no  man  more  fearless.  It  is  possible 
that  even  up  to  his  last  moment  he  was 
wholly  careless  as  to  his  perilous  position. 
For  was  not  a  copy  of  Keats' s  Hyperion^ 

doubled  back,  as  if  the  reader,  in  the  act  of 
reading  had  hastily  thrust  it  aside,"  found 
in  his  breast  pocket  when  Trelawny  discovered 
the  poet's  mutilated  remains  near  Viareggio  ?2 

^  La  Spezzia,  loc.  cit. 

*  Trelawny,  by  the  by,  is  not  very  clear  in  his  indications 
as  to  the  place  where  Shelley's  body  was  burnt,  and  there  is 
every  reason  to  believe  that,  in  his  description  of  the  ceremony, 


316  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


I  know  not  the  history  of  the  Casa  Magni 
immediately  after  the  disaster.  But  if  Tre- 
lawny's  story  of  its  deserted  state  be  correct 
— and  he  speaks  of  the  ground-floor  having 
neither  door  nor  window — it  must  then  have 
fallen  upon  evil  days.  Later,  when  Shelley's 
genius  began  to  be  more  fully  realised,  and 
the  house  became  a  place  of  pilgrimage,  a 
change  for  the  better  took  place.  From 
1845  to  1878  it  was  occupied  by  Colonel  Cross, 
and  in  1855  repairs  were  undertaken.  The 
road,  which  now  prevents  the  sea  from 
dashing,  as  in  former  days,  against  its 
verandah,  was  constructed  in  1888.  On  the 
occasion  of  our  visit  in  1910  the  Casa  Magni 
gave  us  the  impression  of  being  in  a  neglected 
condition.  But  not  long  did  it  remain  so, 
for  on  January  4th,  1911,  it  came  into  the 
possession  of  a  lover  of  letters,  Signor  Alberto 
Civita,  of  Florence,  who  immediately  saw  to 
the  necessary  repairs  being  done.  He  has 
faithfully  maintained,  as  he  informs  me,  the 
decorative  lines  of  the  fagade  and  the  large 

he  sacrificed  truth  for  the  sake  of  dramatic  effect.  Guido 
Biagi  [loc.  cit.)  has  succeeded,  after  a  searching  inquiry, 
in  settling  this  disputed  point  in  Uterary  history.  He 
proves  that  the  poet's  remains  were  cremated  on  that 
part  of  the  shore  which  lies  between  the  Vittorio  Emanuele 
naval  hospital  and  the  Pineta,  or  pine-wood,  and  at  a  spot 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the  sea. 


From  Borgotaro  to  Spezzia  and  Beyond  317 


terrace,  as  well  as  the  disposition  of  the 
rooms  on  the  first  floor — those  occupied  by 
the  poet — consequently  nothing  has  been 
altered  in  the  general  aspect  of  this  historic 
house. 


Apart  from  a  certain  feeling  of  sadness 
which  cannot  fail  to  result  from  a  visit  to 
the  Casa  Magni  and  the  recollection  of 
Shelley's  pathetic  story,  San  Terenzo  remains 
fixed  in  my  mind  as  a  place  of  melancholy. 
For  it  was  there  that  I  parted  from  my 
friend.  We  had  travelled  so  long  together 
along  the  highways  and  by-ways  of  Liguria, 
and  had  spent  so  many  joyous  hours  in  each 
other's  company,  that  the  idea  of  the  in- 
evitable parting  never  really  came  home  to 
us  until  the  day  of  that  literary  pilgrimage. 
At  last,  however,  the  separation  had  to  be 
faced  ;  it  was  imperative  that  the  Antiquary 
should  return  to  his  curiosity  shop  at  San 
Remo.  We  said  farewell  on  the  little  landing- 
stage  at  San  Terenzo,  where  my  good  friend 
took  the  steamer  back  to  Spezzia  and  the 
railway.  Not  until  the  boat  was  well  out  of 
sight  did  I  turn  to  go.  Then  it  was  that  I 
fully  realised  the  break  had  come  and  with 


318  Wanderings  on  the  Italian  Riviera 


what  little  heart  it  had  left  me  to  continue 
journeying  alone  into  Tuscany  :  to  Pisa  and 
to  Leghorn,  where  Byron,  Shelley,  and  Leigh 
Hunt  sojourned,  and  to  that  spot  at  Via- 
reggio  where,  with  some  of  the  accompani- 
ments, if  not  the  rites,  of  ancient  Greece,  the 
remains  of  the  poet  were  cremated. 


Shelley's  House  at  San  Terenzo 


Pergola  and  ornamental  basin  near  Bordighera 

APPENDIX 

NOTES  ON  THE  BOTANY  OF  LIGURIA 

Neither  the  Antiquary  nor  myself  are — in  the  strict  sense 
of  the  word — ^botanists,  but  we  are  not  without  an  eye  for 
the  beauties  of  the  flowers  of  the  field,  and  the  instinct  or 
intelligence  to  discriminate  between  what  is  patent  and 
what  is  curious  in  plant  life.  It  would,  therefore,  have  been 
strange  had  we  resisted  the  temptation  to  collect,  by  the 
wayside,  specimens  of  the  flora  of  Liguria.  These,  when 
we  could  not  identify  them  by  the  aid  of  the  works  of 
Mr.  Clarence  Bicknell,  of  Bordighera,  I  periodically  sent 
to  England  to  my  Father,  Dr.  F.  Arnold  Lees,  F.L.S., 
the  author  of  The  Flora  of  West  Yorkshire  and  other 
botanical  works.  The  many  letters  which  we  received  in 
acknowledgment  (letters  oiten  enthusiastic  and  clearly 
denoting  that  our  150  "  finds  "  had  given  the  intensest  joy) 
have  suggested  to  me  the  advisability  of  setting  down  the 
following  notes  on  the  principal  species  interesting  to  the 
non-botanist  or  noteworthy  for  ecological  reasons.  Those 

319 


320 


Appendix 


who  follow  in  our  footsteps  on  the  Italian  Riviera  will, 
I  trust,  derive  some  pleasure  and  not  a  little  knowledge 
of  Nature  by  perusing  this  partial  Flora  Ligurica,  which 
is  arranged  in  its  natural  order,  beginning  with  the  spring 
Anemones,  and  ending  with  the  Horsetails,  the  most  ancient 
type  of  existing  vegetation. 

The  Star  Anemone  {Anemone  stellata,  Lamk.),  with  its 
magenta  or  puce,  and  occasionally  white  blossom,  is  rare 
in  Liguria,  and  only  among  the  Canes  {Arundo  donax) 
westwardly  at  Bordighera  and  San  Remo.  But  it  becomes 
commoner  eastwardly,  and  is  fairly  plentiful  at  the  top  of 
the  Righi  funicular  at  Genoa,  where  our  specimen  was 
gathered, 

Helleborus  foetidus,  L. — the  Foetid  Hellebore,  not  the 
Classic  one — ^was  also  found  above  Genoa,  high  in  the  hills, 
at  Torriglia,  in  the  month  of  March.  Its  fan-fingered 
leaves  and  green  drooping  flowers,  tipped  with  maroon  red, 
make  it  a  notable  herb  in  the  thickets  and  torrent  beds 
throughout  Liguria. 

Fumaria  capreolata,  L.,  resembling  a  cloud  of  smoke,  was 
discovered  on  the  road  leading  from  Spezzia  to  Portovenere, 
in  May.  It  is  a  herb  of  singular  aspect — not  a  rare  one, 
but  always  noticed  by  the  most  perfunctory  of  wayfarers. 

Cochleavia  saxatilis,  R.Br.,  a  rare  Alpine  plant  like  a 
hoary  Alyssum,  with  silver  seed-pouches — Honesty  in 
diminutive, — and  with  neat  white  flower-spikes,  was  found 
in  the  morainic  torrent  bed  at  Albenga  in  October.  Accord- 
ing to  Mr.  Bicknell's  Flora  of  Bordighera,  it  is  very  rare 
on  the  highest  rocks  of  Monte  Toraggio.  In  the  station 
where  our  specimen  was  collected  it  was  a  "wash-down," 
brought  as  seed,  or  torn  rootstock  from  its  natural  home 
on  the  higher  mountain  scarps,  but  it  is  of  interest  as 
emphasising  one  of  the  ways  of  adventitious  dispersal  of 
plants  and  the  fact  that  change  to  a  mild  climate  from  a 
rigorous  one  is  not  inimical  to  an  Alpine.  It  would  be  a 
bad  thing  for  the  lowlanders'  "  rock  garden  "  if  it  were. 
"  High  Life  "  in  plants  is  maugre  rigour  in  air  and  connotes 
the  select — ^less  competition  with  the  mob,  more  burly 
yet  more  tender,  a  paradox  in  herb  life  ! 


Appendix 


321 


Silene  quinquevulnera ,  L.,  grows  in  certain  hot  sandy- 
places  at  Spezzia.  Legend  connects  the  five  blood-like 
stigmata  on  the  petals  (one  on  each)  of  this  common 
weedling  with  the  five  wounds  of  the  Crucifixion. 

Lychnis  Flos-cuculi,  L.,  the  Cuckoo-flower,  or  Ragged 
Robin,  likewise  came  from  the  Spezzia  district — a  marshy 
place  east  of  the  town  known  as  gli  Stagnoni. 

In  the  neighbourhood  of  Albenga  both  Reseda  Phyteuma, 
L.,  and  Reseda  saxatilis,  Pourr.,  were  gathered.  "  The 
former,"  writes  my  Father,  "is  perhaps  the  origin  (with 
another  Spanish  species)  of  the  sweet-smelling  Mignonette 
of  gardens.  Like  wheat,  the  wild  plant  is  said  to  be 
unknown,  but  as  the  species  of  the  family  '  cross,'  and  Reseda 
Phyteuma  has  occasionally  a  slight  perfume,  when  grown 
on  rich  soil  or  upon  heaps  of  pozzuoli  (sea-wrack)  on  the 
littoral,  that  most  ozonic  or  sea-breezy  of  flower-scents  may 
quite  understandably  have  so  initiated.  Horticulturists 
have  had  in  the  past  too  much  of  careless  unreason  in  their 
experiments  to  help  us  to  the  How  and  Why." 

Saponaria  ocymoides,  L.,  a  Soapwort,  grows  in  many  of 
the  torrent  beds  of  Liguria. 

Gypsophila  repens,  L.,  the  lime-loving  White  Pink,  was 
found  in  several  districts. 

Tunica  saxifraga,  Scop.,  the  Stone-breaking  Pink,  was 
discovered  to  have  taken  firm  hold  in  the  stony  torrent  bed 
at  Albenga.  It  makes  a  moss-leaf  cushion  from  which 
spring  dozens  of  branching  miniature  trees  bearing  neat 
full  purple  pink  star  bloom.  The  roots  are  dispropor- 
tionately stout,  strong  and  long,  enabling  the  plant  to  retain 
its  hold  on  the  most  disturbed  coigns  of  vantage,  and  by 
the  insinuation  of  its  wire  roots  into  every  niche  or  crack 
of  the  rock  succeeds,  in  time,  and  with  the  aid  of  water, 
in  Assuring  and  cleaving  it. 

Epilohium  rosmarinifolium ,  Haenke,  Rosemary -leaved 
Willowherb,  was  in  the  same  torrent  bed  at  Albenga.  This 
is  another  pretty  wandy  purple-flowered  "  wash  down  " 
from  the  sub-alpine  slopes  of  talus  and  scree  in  the 
mountains.    It  is  a  moraine  lover. 

Dianthus  furcatus,  Balbis   [D.  tener,  Ard.)  is  a  third 

21 — (2230) 


322 


Appendix 


"  wash  down  "  of  the  Albenga  district.  It  is  a  rather 
rare  forked-stem  Pink. 

Dianthus  Seguieri,  Chaix,  the  Cluster  Pink  and  a  near 
relative  of  our  Sweet  William,  was  also  found. 

All  these,  as  most  of  the  Pink  tribe,  are  mountaineers  by- 
breeding,  liking  best  barren,  rough  ground. 

Cistus  salvifolius,  L.,  the  Sageleaved  Gum  Rockrose, 
grows  at  Genoa  and  on  gravelly  banks  at  Spezzia.  This 
was  the  only  one  of  the  three  species  which  occur  in  Liguria 
which  we  had  the  opportunity  of  gathering. 

Only  the  rosy,  larger  yellow  flowered  and  typical  forms 
of  Helianthemum  vulgare,  the  herbaceous  Rockrose,  were 
gathered,  the  white-flowered  and  silky-leaved  species 
{poli folium  and  italicum)  not  being  seen. 

Of  the  Poly  gala  order  of  the  Laitier  or  Litania  Milkworts 
there  are  five  in  Liguria.  Two  were  found  over  and  over 
again  :  the  pink-flowered  Poly  gala  rosea,  Gren  et  Godron, 
and  the  hirsute  P.  pubescens,  Burnat,  with  blue  flowers. 
The  intensely  blue-bloomed  P.  vulgaris,  L.  was  also 
seen. 

One  Geranium  only,  the  lime-rock  or  sea-sand  loving 
(because  of  the  comminuted  shell  lime  in  the  sand)  Geranium 
sanguineum,  with  inch-across  crimson  flowers,  was  found. 

At  Torriglia,  in  the  mountains  above  Genoa,  the  Stork's- 
bill,  Erodium  cicutarium,  L'Herit,  was  found  at  2,000  feet. 
Mr.  Bicknell  gives  1,500  metres  as  its  upward  limit. 

Naturalised  all  along  the  Riviera — proof  of  its  amenity 
of  climate — the  three-leaved  Sorrel-Shamrock,  Ox  alts 
cernua  or  libyca,  with  fine  yellow  flowers,  was  noted  from 
San  Remo  eastwardly.  It  is  a  native  of  South  Africa 
and  there  flowers  in  the  winter  of  the  Tropics  (July),  but 
in  Liguria  from  March  to  May,  being  "  a  remarkable 
instance  of  a  plant  having  undergone  a  complete  change 
of  season  of  blooming  "  (Henslow).  In  a  way,  however, 
Oxalis  cernua  is  one  of  the  Sensitive  plants,  and  the  March 
to  May  calenture  of  the  Riviera  is  the  Tropic  winter  a  little 
before  its  time.  Needing  a  certain  (not  well  known) 
temperature  for  the  maturation  of  its  reproductive  elements 
(not  too  hot  clearly,  as  clearly  not  below  45°  F.  its  minimum 


Appendix 


323 


growing  point)  it  blooms  simply  at  the  right  season,  dis- 
regarding the  arbitrary  Kalendaric  divisions.  It  keeps  to 
its  individual  need-and-seed  time,  just  as  does  the  well- 
known  pink-flowered  Almond  of  Persia,  which,  planted 
in  our  English  park-lands,  will  insist  on  blossoming  in 
March  (its  kalend  in  the  East) ,  even  though  snow  is  on  the 
ground. 

Tribulus  terrestris,  L.,  the  Caltrops,  so  called  because 
of  its  spiky  horns  of  fruit  of  the  Bean-caper  order,  and  the 
Caper  plant  {Capparis  spinosa),  not  indigenous  but  estab- 
lished as  well  as  cultivated,  were  both  among  the  species 
gathered  ;  whilst  at  Vernazza,  near  Spezzia,  the  curious 
disk-like  leaved,  turreted-flowered  Umbilicus  pendulinus, 
De  Cand.,  adorned  walls  with  its  fleshy  rosettes  and 
spires. 

The  Rose  order  was  poorly  represented  in  our  consign- 
ments. Among  those  sent  were  three  Cinquefoils,  Potentilla 
verna,  P.  argentea  and  P.  erecta,  with  the  small-flowered 
Barren  Strawberry,  P.  micrantha,  Ram.,  from  Torriglia, 
at  2,000  feet  elevation. 

But  the  great  Pea  flower  tribe,  the  legumes,  were  well 
illustrated.  The  Laburnum  in  one  form,  the  upright 
Cytisus  sessilifolius ,  was  seen  near  San  Remo,  the  common 
'  Gold-Rain '  in  many  places ;  with,  near  Spezzia,  the  Italian 
form  of  the  Plantagenet — Genista  pilosa,  var  diffusa,  Willd., 
peculiar  in  having  triangular  twigs  like  a  Sedge  and  leaves 
with  a  (protective  ?)  cartilaginous  border. 

The  trefoils — our  Clovers — were  represented  by  the  silky 
hare's-footed  T.  arvense  (Albenga) ;  the  pinky  T.  incarnatum, 
T.  stellatum  and  the  hop-clover  T.  agrarium.  The  Lotus 
pea  flower  was  represented  by  L.  decumhens,  Poiret,  and  our 
English-turf  L.  corniculatus.  The  two  most  singular 
plants  of  this  tribe  gathered  were  the  lens-fruited  Medick, 
M.  orbicularis,  AH.,  the  circular,  flat,  half -inch  pods  being 
made  up  of  a  three  to  five  turned  spiral  lying  curled  flat 
one  turn  above  another,  with  a  green  membranous  border 
spineless  but  veined  over  with  net-like  ridges,  similar  to 
those  on  the  back  of  an  aged  hand  ;  and  the  Blue  Pitch 
Clover,  "  Forfoglia,"  in  vulgo  italiano.    The  former  was 


324 


Appendix 


gathered  on  the  heights  at  Sarzana  ;  the  latter  at  Porto- 
venere,  near  Spezzia.  Blue  Pitch  Clover  has  blue-violet 
heads  of  bloom  on  long  stalks  surpassing  the  stalked  tri-foil  ; 
its  science  name  is  Psoralea  bituminosa,  so  called  by  Linnaeus 
because  the  odour  exhaled  when  the  plant  is  bruised  strongly 
suggests  a  mixture  of  pitch  and  liquorice.  Whether  it  is 
eaten  or  refused  by  sheep  or  goats  one  would  like  to  know, 
but,  unaware  of  its  rustic  Italian  name  at  the  time  of  gather- 
ing, inquiry  was  not  made.  Mr.  Bicknell  says  nothing  on 
the  subject  in  his  Flora  of  Bordighera,  although  he  does 
mention  the  fact  of  bruise-smell  in  his  earlier  and  finely 
illustrated  Flowering  Plants  and  Ferns  of  the  Riviera  and 
Neighbouring  Mountains.  ^ 

Near  Spezzia,  too,  we  got  the  small-flowered  Indian 
Melilot,  well  naturalised  now  in  the  west  of  Europe,  and 
even  in  England  by  roadsides  holding  its  own.  This  is 
one  of  the  species  which  corroborates  the  fact  of  slow  but 
sure  change  of  flora  in  almost  every  area  ;  as  one  species 
naturally  dies  out,  some  other,  from  some  "  far  Cathay  " 
of  plant-land,  comes,  by  favour  of  merchandise  or  natural 
aeroplane  of  seed,  and  takes  its  place. 

Of  the  tare  and  "fitch"  families  two  only  were  observed 
and  gathered,  probably  because  cultivated  fields  were  not 
much  trespassed  upon  by  us.  These  two  were  the  Fod- 
der Vetch,  V.  sativa,  and  the  Cicerchia  porporino,  or 
Mouchi  of  the  Italian  (Linnaeus'  Lathy rus  Clymenum) — the 
Honeysuckle  Vetchling. 

The  spring-blooming  Orobus  niger,  L.,  was  also  gathered, 
near  Pigna,  and  is  interesting  because  (though  turning 
from  green  to  a  dull  black  in  drying)  it  grows  in  our  own 
classic  mountain  glen,  the  Pass  of  Killiecrankie. 

The  Pomegranate  {Punica  granatuum),  poorest  of  edibles 
perhaps,  but  loveliest  of  fruit  forms,  was,  of  course,  observed 
and  admired  here  and  there  on  rocky  banks  and  along 
the  torrents,  but  it  was  not  practicable  to  dessicate  speci- 
mens for  the  herbarium.  It  is  almost  certainly  from  a  hotter 
latitude  and  not  indigenous  even  on  this  favoured  littoral  ; 
and  the  same,  but  with  less  emphasis,  may  be  said  of  the 


^  Trubner  &  Co.,  1885. 


Appendix 


325 


classic  and  decorative  Oleander,  most  distinctive  of  green 
growths  as  regard  form  and  flower, — a  Rose  offering  on  an 
Olive  branch  ! 

Continuing  our  enumeration  of  some  of  the  salient  fea- 
tures of  the  vegetation  of  Liguria — apart  from  the  arbor- 
escent and  evergreen  class  which,  from  Privet,  "  Rovere," 
pubescent  Oak,  flowering  Manna  Ash,  Bruyere  or  Tree 
Heath  to  Strawberry  Tree,  Chestnut,  Ilex  oak,  "  Biiss  " 
or  Box,  Hornbeam  oak  {Ostrya),  Alder,  various  Pines,  the 
Cedar  Juniper,  the  White  Beam  tree,  and  the  noble  Laurus 
or  Sweet  Bay,  "  Lauribaga  "  in  popular  speech.  Wayfaring- 
tree,  tree  Woodbine,  red-berried  Elder  {Samhucus  race- 
mosus)  Sloe,  Cherry,  Hawthorn,  and  the  Amelanchier  pear, 
constitute  in  varying  degrees  the  woodland  and  thickets 
from  the  mountains  to  the  headlands  of  the  seaboard — 
some  special  singularity  led  to  the  gathering  of  the  wing- 
stemmed  purple  Loosestrife,  in  a  damp  place  near  Spezzia — 
Ly thrum  Graefferi  of  Tenore,  the  Naples'  systematist, 
cousin -german  in  plants  to  Shakespeare's  "  Long  Purples 
of  the  Date." 

Campanula  macrorrhiza,  Gay,  a  lovely  serrate-heart- 
leaved  plant  with  thick  white  woody  roots  and  large  open 
bell-bloom  with  a  long  protruding  clapper-like  style,  seems, 
along  with  C.  isophylla  (Moretti),  special  to  the  Riviera  di 
Ponente.  It  grows  under,  and  hanging  from  rocks  on  the 
hills  above  Albenga  ;  and  Mr.  Bicknell  says  "  more  abun- 
dantly inland  to  a  distance  of  five  miles  behind  Finalmarina, 
still  in  bloom  at  Christmas." 

From  the  same  district  came  the  Campanula  Sahatia, 
De  Notaris,  another  Harebell,  recalling  the  Bluebell  of 
Scotland,  but  with  drooping  flower  bud,  incurved  sepals, 
and  differing  habit.  It  is  represented  by  Fig.  B,  Plate  36, 
of  Mr.  Bicknell's  Flowering  Plants  and  Ferns  of  the 
Riviera. 

One  of  the  three  Heathers  attracted  notice  and  was 
gathered  because  of  its  departure  from  heathery  ways  in 
a  singular  direction.  The  tip  of  the  needle-leaved  shoots 
develop  an  abortive  globular  tip  on  which,  through  arrest 
of  stem-growth,   broad  boat-shaped  hair-clothed  leaves 


326 


Appendix 


crowd,  one  laid  closely  over  another.  This  is  Erica  scoparia, 
the  Besom-heath  in  the  vulgar. 

On  stony  banks,  brushwood,  in  the  Finalborgo  area,  we 
gathered  the  singular  European  Plumbago,  so  called  because 
of  its  clear  prussian-blue  or  dark  lead-coloured  tube  flowers. 
It  is  a  cousin-german  of  the  P.  Capensis  of  English  green- 
houses, held  in  such  firm  estimation  by  reason  of  its  pale 
turquoise  to  lavender  flowers  born  in  bottlebrush  spikes, 
each  stalked  flower  springing  from  a  sundew-gland-like 
calix. 

Near  Albenga  the  Dyers'  Woodruffe  {Asperula  tinctoria) 
was  gathered.  The  roots  are  used  to  dye  wool  a  red  colour. 
Asp.  arvensis  was  likewise  noted. 

Both  Scabious  were  found — 5.  maritima  and  5.  candicans  ; 
as  well  as  the  Red  Beadstraw,  Galium  rubrum. 

Of  the  great  order  of  Asters  (compositae,  as  called  by 
botanists,  from  their  many  flowers  gathered  into  one 
head,  the  central  ones  usually  yellow,  the  outer  rows  white, 
though  there  are  many  exceptions,  a  few,  like  the  Chicory, 
being  even  bright  blue)  only  a  few  were  gathered  for 
preservation.  Mostly  coarse  and  bulky,  these  plants  do 
not  lend  themselves  conveniently  to  pressing  and  drying 
by  those  who  are  upon  the  road.  The  principal  ones  were 
the  yellow  Shore  Daisy,  Chrysanthemum  Myconis,  Mar- 
guerite-like but  all  yellow  ;  the  field  Wormwood  Artemisia 
campestris ,  and,  at  Torriglia,  in  the  torrent  bed,  the  familiar 
British  Coltsfoot,  and  rhubarb-leaved  Butter-bur,  which 
has,  since  the  landscape  painter  first  set  up  his  easel  on  a 
river's  bank,  made  a  fine,  foil  foreground  for  more  pictures 
than  any  other  single  thing  of  green  life.  The  yellow  scaled, 
narrow-leaved  Everlasting,  Helichrysum  Stoechas,  also 
was  noted  on  calcareous  rocks  at  Albenga  ;  but  the  Edel- 
weiss, called  Stella  d' Italia,  which,  though  associated  mostly 
with  Swiss  legend,  is  "  extremely  abundant,  in  masses,  on 
the  higher  slopes  of  the  Maritime  Alps  "  (Bicknell),  was 
not  attained  to  under  the  special  circumstances  of  our 
peregrination. 

The  next  floral  notable,  gathered  oftener  than  once 
between  Albenga  and  Genoa,  is  the  Blue  Globe  Daisy,  in 


Appendix 


327 


connection  with  which  there  are  two  economic  and  ecologic 
facts  of  interest.  The  bush  Glohularia  has  leaves  which  are 
senna-Uke  and  mildly  aperient  and  much  used  to  adulte- 
rate those  of  the  well-known  "  Black  draught  "  of  the 
"  liverish."  The  smaller  form,  vulgaris,  is  very  common  in 
gravelly,  grassy  places,  spangling  the  ground  from  Novem- 
ber to  May  with  its  blue  "  pompom  "  asterine  capitula. 
But  both  are  specially  adapted  for  fertilization  by  butter- 
flies (Miiller)  and  the  species  (three  in  all)  are  the  only 
instances  in  the  Germanic  and  Italian-Swiss  floras  "  of  a 
blue  colour  having  been  produced  by  the  selective  agency 
of  Lepidoptera." 

Travelling  now  a  good  way  on  the  avenues  of  botanic 
classification,  the  curious  leafless  Broomrape — "  minor  " 
or  "  major  "  'tis  hard  to  say  with  such  a  mummy  as  our 
example  of  the  Orobanche  family  became — was  collected 
on  marshy,  grassy  ground  outside  Spezzia. 

The  Snapdragon  order  yielded  the  Moth  Mullein,  the  Ivy- 
leaf  Toadflax,  and,  in  turf  on  arid  hills,  the  pretty  and 
distinctive  Odontites  lutea,  yellow  awl-leaved  Eyebright  ; 
whilst  the  Genoa  neighbourhood  in  spring  gave  us  Barre- 
lier's  Veronica,  True  Image,  with  flower  "  eyes  "  of  pale 
blue,  and  Torriglia,  at  some  2,000  feet,  the  Comb  Eyebright, 
Euphrasia  pectinata,  Tenore,  and  Jordan's  majalis. 

In  sandy,  grassy  places  near  Spezzia  the  two  grass-root 
parasites,  the  Great  Yellow  Rattle  {Rhinanthus  major)  and 
the  gland-sticky  Trixago  viscosa,  alike  abundant  in  colonies 
on  the  littoral  in  the  Riviera  and  the  sand  dunes  of 
Lancashire  and  Cornwall,  were  gathered. 

The  White  Henbane,  Hyoscyamus  alhus,  was  found  on 
the  sands  of  pathetic,  deserted  Bussana  Vecchia.  It  is  a 
plant  of  no  great  beauty,  but  has  a  curiously-lidded  box 
fruit.  In  botanic  parlance  the  seed  receptacle  is  a  buxus  ; 
it,  and  the  black  Nightshade  of  the  same  Sodomean  order 
being  called — vulgo — "  Morella." 

Of  the  Convolvulus  tribe,  two  only  were  gathered  :  the 
Cantabrian  and  the  mallow-leaved  C.  altheeoides ,  L.  They 
have  pretty  frail  trumpet  blooms,  but  are  ephemeral  like 
other  Morning  Glorys. 


328 


Appendix 


At  San  Remo  the  bee-beloved  Borage,  with  its  harsh, 
repellent  leaves  and  invitingly-open  eye-blooms,  was  in 
evidence  ;  whilst  its  relation,  the  bulbose  Comfrey  {Sym- 
phytum), attracted  one's  notice  at  Nervi,  and,  deepest  of 
violet-eyed  flowers,  the  Stoneseed  [Lithospermum  purpureo- 
cceruleum)  was  noted  in  bushy  places  and  under  the  olives 
in  many  of  the  more  calcareous  mountain  spurs  and  fangs 
which  form  the  successive  headlands  of  the  littoral.  This 
plant  has  a  curious  and  protective  trick  at  its  command. 
It  grows  in  tufts,  in  shade  or  on  open  banks,  the  stems  which 
flower  successfully  leaving  behind  them  a  polished  porcelain 
nut  ready  to  be  jerked  off  into  some  adjacent  niche  where  it 
may  germinate  and  renew  its  life  ;  while  those  other  leafy 
stems — the  majority — which  cannot,  for  lack  of  time, 
attain  to  blossom,  lengthen  out  and,  bending  over  until 
their  tips  touch  earth,  at  once  take  root  there,  literally 
striding  away  two  feet  or  more  to  establish  a  nidus  of 
independent  life.  This  curious  progression,  to  the  end  of 
preservation  of  existence,  is  well-nigh  unique  among 
European  herbs,  and  yet  was  never  adequately  described 
until  Dr.  Frederic  N.  Williams  (of  Brentford)  reached  its 
class  in  his  "  Prodromus  "  of  the  British  Flora,  a  work 
not  yet  completed. 

The  odoriferous  species  of  the  Mint  order,  herbs  or  shrubs, 
of  Liguria  are  best  described  as  legion.  From  English 
Wild  Thyme  to  other  Thymes,  many  gatherings  were  made 
to  please  eye  and  nose.  Bee-worshipped  and  antiseptic, 
their  outlines  and  hues  are  as  varied  as  their  virtues  ;  with- 
out undue  assertiveness  as  individuals,  though  strikingly 
pretty  in  some  cases,  on  the  dry,  bushy  hill-sides  of  Liguria, 
"  bee-haunted  "  as  ever  our  own  Furness  fells,  their  preci- 
sion of  qualities  in  mass  dominates  the  scene.  There  is  the 
fruticose  Calamint,  holding  up,  as  with  fingers,  little  candles 
of  its  own  on  the  hillside  of  Toirano,  below  the  shrine  of 
St.  Lucia.  There  is  the  even  more  rococo  Lavandula 
staechas,  Spike  Lavender,  with  tongues  of  violet  hanging 
from  between  the  toothed  lips  of  its  flower-mouth,  hoary 
gray  of  foliage  sweetening  the  air  on  the  marble  brows  of 
Spezzia.    Two  Herb  Bugles  {reptans  and  Iva)  blow,  one 


Appendix 


329 


or  the  other  from  April  into  late  October,  in  suitable  sites 
on  the  ground  they  love  ;  and  the  maculated  Dead  Nettle, 
with  a  pale  yellow  stripe  down  every  heart-shaped  leaf 
(as  though  the  sap-green  had  run  short)  occurs,  more  rarely, 
on  damp  banks  at  Calizzano,  Torriglia,  etc,^ 

Satureja  montana,  the  shrubby  Savory,  makes  sweet 
even  the  torrent  beds,  wherein  it  blooms  on  its  wiry  wands 
into  late  October. 

And  of  Sage  plants  the  noble  Salvia  pratensis  spires  in 
the  purple  and  green  of  its  helmet-capped  blossom  from 
out  a  neat  tuft  of  hearty  leaves  in  the  grassy  places  it 
affects.  The  pink-lipped  Salvia  canariensis  even,  on  the 
Promenade  at  Sestri  Levante,  hung  out  one  or  two  late 
blossoms  well  into  December. 

Two  Hemp  Nettles,  Stachys  recta  and  maritima,  not  so 
beneficently  aromatic  as  the  rest,  occurred  at  Spezzia 
and  Albenga, 

Of  the  Asclepiadeae — Milkweed — which  have  their 
greatest  development  and  variation  in  the  western  hemi- 
sphere, only  one;  and  that  not  truly  native,  Periploca 
graeca,  was  observed  on  the  public  promenade  at  Nervi. 

Of  the  decorative  and  distinctive  herb  Spurges,  well 
developed  (there  are  over  30  different  growths)  along  the 
Riviera  and  Ligurian  coast,  the  tree  form,  the  only  European 
one  growing  to  any  size,  was  observed  on  barren  slopes 
from  Finalmarina  eastward,  and  the  more  familiar  (in 
English  borders)  Welcome  Husband  Home  in  many  places 
throughout  the  bee-land. 

Near  Spezzia  we  also  gathered  the  Erba  lazza  or  Com  eta 
(Ital.  vulgo),  a  Spurge  with  softly  hairy  testicle-like  fruit, 
and  horned  purple-red  glands  ringing  the  green  ruffed 
blossom  ;  a  singular  plant  in  physiognomy,  nodding 
modestly  in  its  youth,  proudly  displaying  its  umbrella-rib 
flower-stalks  in  its  maturity,  inviting  the  worship  of  many 

^  The  green  [chlorophyll)  of  leaves  is  developed  under  the  invisible 
wand  of  Sunlight,  Palinurus  the  harlequin  of  the  world's  stage  ;  and 
this  "  dead-nettle  "  being  partial  to  shade  one  may,  not  too  fancifully, 
guess  that  the  lack-green  line  bordering  each  leaf's  sap  artery  is,  broadly 
speaking,  due  to  there  not  being  enough  passes  of  the  magic  wand  to 
affect  all  the  surface  ! 


330 


Appendix 


sorts  of  winged  life.  The  flax-leaved  Daphne  Gnidium  also 
attracted  notice  in  Eastern  Liguria  ;  and  by  the  Nervia 
bridge,  at  Dolceacqua,  and  elsewhere  near  Sestri,  the 
spine-leaved  blue-bloom-berried  Juniper  with  needles 
twice  as  long  as  the  berry  when  ripe,  which  takes  two  years 
to  accomplish. 

At  Nervi,  by  the  old  mule-paths,  was  noticed  a  Nettle, 
new  to  English  eyes,  with  very  thin  long-stalked  leaves, 
and  inflorescence  differing  with  the  sex  :  the  male  a  curved 
spike,  on  a  winged  stalk,  and  the  female,  a  short-stalked 
agglomeration  at  a  lower  level.  It  is  sparsely  supplied 
with  very  venomous  hairs. 

With  the  Juniper  we  exhaust  one  great  class  of  plants 
and  approach — with  reverential  care,  lest  we  misread  or 
inread  too  much — that  highly  specialised  group  of  Endogens 
of  which  the  Orchids,  Lilies,  and  Grasses  are  grand  types. 

At  Granarolo,  above  Genoa,  about  mid-April,  we  made 
our  first  acquaintance  with  the  insect,  the  fly  imitating 
Ophrys  family,  renewing  it,  with  heightened  amazement, 
at  Spezzia  in  May-time,  the  midsummer  madness  of  Orchis, 
Ophrys,  and  Serapias.  Eleven  species  riot  in  the  grassy 
turf  of  a  hill-side  overlooking  "La  Superba":  ivory  white, 
cream  yellow,  old  rose,  fawn,  blue-gray,  velvety  brown, 
red  plush,  green- veined  pink  and  butterfly- winged  purple, 
all  find  some  living  green-thing  of  a  flower  to  proudly  or 
shyly  wear  their  colours  in  livery  of  garb  that  wondrously 
closely  represents  a  humble  bee,  a  lady's  mirror  mounted 
on  black-purple  plush  like  a  coat  of  arms,  a  dark-bodied 
blue-winged  fly,  a  horse-fly,  a  saw  fly,  a  diadem'd  spider, 
a  livid  leering  satyr  with  tongue  out,  a  chain-hanging 
malefactor,  legs  splayed  and  arms  dropped,  or  a  striped 
lizard  suspended  by  its  tail  ! 

The  Ophrys  Bertolonii,  of  Morette,  is  the  Bee  Orch  with 
glazed  shield  on  the  back  of  the  bumble's  body  ;  the 
Serapias  lingua  (commonest  near  Spezzia)  and  the  Cordigera 
with  a  third,  a  crossed  intermediate,  are  the  Iris-like 
Orchids  of  more  or  less  satyr  and  Silenus-like  pose.  The 
Serapias  cordigera,  with  its  three-lobed  tongue,  purple 
below,   paler  and  browner  towards  its  tip,  in  especial, 


Appendix 


331 


cosmically  harmonises — every  hue  and  curve  beautifully 
ordered  and  synchronising  through  the  successive  stages 
of  its  flower-time. 

Orchis  papilionacea ,  the  Butterfly  Orch,  has  a  simple 
conscious  flaunt  as  of  a  pretty  rustic  about  it,  and  the 
commoner  O.  coriophora,  with  a  variable  sickly  odour,  is 
almost  the  only  Orchis  with  a  distinctive  rustic  name — 
from  its  odour  of  bugs,  it  is  the  Cimiciattola  of  the  Italian  ; 
whilst  the  tall,  long  loose-spray,  deep  violet  blossomed 
Orchis  laxiflora  (common  near  Spezzia)  is  simply  the 
Orch'  di  prato — of  the  fields. 

Another,  O.  Morio,  var.  picta,  is  very  pretty,  spurred, 
with  waved  purple  lip  and  wings  of  delicate  rose  with  green 
veins  accentuating  their  slightness  and  transparency. 

Yet  another  simulator  is  the  O.  simia,  the  Monkey  Orchis, 
of  which  but  one  was  gathered  ;  and,  still  one  more,  the 
Ophrys  scolopax,  of  Cavanilles,  the  broad-veined  toothed 
lip  of  which  seems  to  have  a  miniature  long-billed  Wood- 
cock perched  on  the  rim  of  the  flower's  throat,  this  efiigy 
being  nor  more  nor  less  than  the  beak  of  the  hood  or  helmet 
which  conceals  the  pollen  masses  and  guards  them  from 
wet.  Another  Ophrys,  the  O.  Nicaeensis,  Barla,  a  variety 
of  the  Spider  Orch,  has  a  round,  notched  lip  of  brown  velvet 
impressed  with  crossing  lines  and  dots  of  yellowish  white, 
similar  to  the  markings  of  the  Shrubbery  Spider  (Diadema), 
which  weaves  such  a  wonderful  geometrical  web  from  leaf 
to  leaf  on  our  Portugal  Laurel  bushes  in  the  London  parks. 

Others — not  to  be  defined  here — are  the  variety  Mon- 
strosa — a  cross  between  the  Green -winged  Orchis  and  O. 
papilionacea ;  O.  tridentata,  Scop.  ;  the  sword-leaved 
Cephalanthera  ensifolia ;  the  pink  hanging-man  Orch 
Acer  as  longihracteata ;  the  clove-scented  Gymnadenia 
conopsea ;  and  the  other  O.  Fragrans  which  has 
points  about  it  that  suggests  hybridity,  but  with  what 
particular  species  it  polygamates  is  not  clear. 

This  ends  the  tale  of  these  Orchs,  the  tribal  features  of 
which  are  refinements  and  freakish  adaptations  far  beyond 
what  obtains  in  any  other  less  vegetised  (one  cannot  say 
civilised)  races. 


332 


Appendix 


The  Lilies,  including  the  Garlics,  present  fewer  difficul- 
ties and  so,  perhaps,  less  interest  to  students.  The  most 
beautiful  and  possibly  biggest  of  all  the  Rivieran  flowers 
is  amongst  them,  though  not  to  be  lightly  gathered  and  dried 
by  reason  of  its  proportions.  This  is  the  Amaryllid,  by 
name  Pancratium  maritimum,  a  lovely  white,  fringed  cup 
Lily,  found  on  the  sands  of  the  shore  (a  shell  idealised  in  a 
flower)  in  many  a  spot  between  Cannes  on  the  west  to  beyond 
Albenga  and  Savona  eastwardly.  It  flowers  July  to  October 
from  a  big  sand-buried  bulb,  with  glaucous  daffodil  leaf 
blades,  and  an  umbel  of  truly  magnificent  chalices  of  blossom, 
with  six  stalked  golden  stamens  growing  from  each  second 
dent  of  the  twelve  toothed  crown  of  living  alabaster. 

Of  the  Arums,  two  were  gathered — the  Friar's  Cowl 
{Avisarum  vulgar e)  of  quaint  rococo  outline,  its  leaf  a  com- 
promise between  a  blunt  arrow-head  flint  and  a  mule's 
calkin  (it  was  got  in  October  amidst  the  herbage  of  rocky 
places),  and  the  Italian  Lords-and-Ladies,  vulgo  Phallus 
monachi,  with  great  diverging  lobed  arrow-shaped  leaves, 
the  nerves  of  which  are  margined  with  white  (through 
absence  of  chlorophyll),  got  at  Nervi  in  April,  the  immense 
white  spathe  or  sheath  enclosing  the  female  organs  and  the 
male  purple  pollen-club  at  once  revealing  its  kinship  with 
the  great  white  cornucopia  of  the  Lily  of  the  Nile. 

At  Albenga  the  asperous  Smilax — ^Wild  Sarsaparilla 
— attracts  attention  not  only  by  its  needle-fanged 
leaves,  which  are  a  cross  between  heart  and  pike-head 
in  shape,  wire  stemmed,  but  by  its  tendrils  climbing  most 
ornamentally  over  hedge  vegetation. 

The  bicoloured  (crown  and  ruff  two  shades  of  yellow) 
Narcissus  Tazetta  was  gathered  above  Genoa. 

In  sandy  fields  and  in  corn  near  Spezzia  the  beautiful 
hyacinth  {Bellevalia  comosa,  Kunth)  arrays  its  habitats  in 
crowned  spires  of  vividest  violet,  both  individually  and 
en  masse,  like  the  red  Poppy,  a  glory  for  the  eye  while  its 
loveliness  lasts. 

At  Sestri  Levant e  and  again  (in  fruit)  at  Pegli,  the  singu- 
lar leafy  Tongue-Bloom,  Ruscus  hypoglossus  ("  very  rare  in 
the  Arma  valley,  Ceriana,"  says  Mr.  Bicknell)  cried  out  for 


Appendix 


333 


notice.  The  two-inch  acute  ovate  "leaves"  are  but  expan- 
sions of  the  stem,  as  is  shown  by  leaves  bearing  first  a 
flower  and  then  a  berry  fruit,  right  in  the  central  line  of 
the  upper  side  of  the  leathery,  laurelline  blade.  The  real 
"  leaf  "  is  minimised  to  an  awl-like  scale  below. 

The  hollow-stemmed  Asphodel  {A.  fistulosus) — one  of  the 
classic  blooms  of  "the  glory  that  was  Greece  " — outstretched 
its  candelabra  of  six  rayed  white  stars  by  the  sides  of  the 
mule-paths  at  Nervi,  near  Genoa,  and  elsewhere.  Its 
spires  possess  a  prim  pale  charm  all  their  own  : — the  vestal 
taper  flames  of  the  fallentis  semita  vitae  that  Horace 
commemorates. 

At  Torriglia,  in  the  Appennine  foot  hills  (600-700  metres) 
the  Crocuses,  (C.  vernus  and  versicolor),  white,  purple,  or 
violet  striped,  are  a  gay  feature  of  March  and  April,  just 
after  the  melting  of  the  snow  sets  free  their  enciente  corms 
— not  a  true  bulb  but  a  swollen  rotund  root-stock. 

Only  one  Iris,  or  Fleur-de-Luce  proper,  was  preserved, 
the  Yellow  Flag  of  English  water-meads  [Iris  pseud- A  corus) , 
seen  near  Albenga  and  in  damp  ground  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Spezzia.  It  is  not  given  for  any  place  nearer,  more 
west,  than  that  in  Mr.  Bicknell's  Flora  of  Bordighera  ; 
nor  does  the  Western  Riviera  harbour  the  distinct  red  and 
green  bearded  Iris  Italica,  par  excellence  a  Ligurian  indigene  ; 
it  occurs  along  the  sands  and  railway  banks  at  Borgio, 
Verezzi,  and  near  Finalmarina  in  "  great  profusion  "  in 
early  spring  (Bicknell's  Flowering  Plants  and  Ferns  of 
the  Riviera,  Plate  67).  Our  example  was  gathered  near 
Portovenere,  where,  also  in  damp,  sandy  places,  grew  that 
other  Irid  the  Illyrian  Corn  Gladiolus  (G.  segetum),  with 
its  one-sided  spikes  of  rosy-purple  trumpet  blooms. 

In  October,  in  the  stony  bed  of  the  Centa,  near  Albenga, 
the  neat  violet  rose  heads  of  Allium  pulchellum,  Don,  cried 
out  to  be  garnered.  It  is  of  the  Shalot  sort,  with  two  or 
three  narrow  leaves  on  the  foot-high  stem.  In  April, 
near  Nervi,  was  got  Allium  neapolitanum  with  numerous 
paper-white  stalked  blossoms — "  lasting  long  in  a  water- 
vase  "  (Bicknell).  There,  likewise,  grew  Allium  paniculatum, 
with  pale  rose  purple  heads  of  bloom  (stamens  not  protruding 


334 


Appendix 


from  the  perianth)  and  prolongation  of  the  flower-head 
stalk  through  the  umbel  bearing  silvery  bulbil  onions — 
a  second  string  against  extinction  to  hang  on  to  life  by. 

In  conclusion,  of  the  many  Grasses,  Sedges  and  Fern  allies, 
what  shall  be  said  ?  To  the  expert  in  those  directions  in 
which  perception  and  comparison  are  the  paramount 
factors,  there  are  many  both  instructive  and  illuminative 
forms,  and  a  few  of  great  decorative  interest  like  the  Canes, 
Arundo  Donax  (often  planted  although  very  common  and 
native  in  damp  places  in  the  valleys),  the  fingered  Andro- 
pogon  hirtum  of  variable  facies,  and  the  viviparous  bulbous- 
rooted  Poa,  so  impious  of  aspect  because  of  the  baby  tufts 
of  grass  growing  out  of  the  parent  inflorescence.  But  to 
the  casual  tourist,  who  takes  an  interest  in  grass  en  masse 
rather  than  in  little,  it  is  hardly  possible  to  describe  the 
salient  forms  in  a  popular  manner.  The  Burr-grass  of  Italy , 
Lapp  ago  or  Tragus  racemosus,  with  singularly  pretty, 
purplish  spine-protected  flower-sheaths,  partial  to  hot, 
sandy  places  where  it  can  live  when  little  else  will,  was 
gathered  near  Albenga,  and  remains,  though  a  mere  mummy 
dried,  a  continuing  joy  to  the  botanist.  Briza  maxima, 
the  great,  brown  silvery  inflated  Trembling  Grass,  was  not 
rare  near  Spezzia,  while  the  huge  green-plume  panicles  of 
the  Great  Reed  {Arundo  Donax)  never  fail  to  give  the 
impression  of  combined  grace  and  power.  It  is  excelled, 
perhaps,  only  by  the  Bamboo  or  the  Sugar-Cane,  which, 
however,  strike  a  coarser  note.  Then,  again,  those  love- 
grasses  the  Eragrostis  megastachia  and  that  of  Ravenna  ; 
the  branching  Melics,  M.  major  and  M.  Baugini,  by  the 
roadside  out  to  Portovenere  from  Spezzia  ;  mingle 
with  the  graces  and  the  beauties  of  idyllic  days  that 
have  come  and  gone  to  comrades,  leaving  in  their  wake 
the  silver  streak  of  Memory  which  outlives  much  more 
material  things. 

Last — ^but  earliest  type  of  all  in  existing  vegetal  forms — 
the  Horse-tails  {Equiseium) ,  in  four  varieties — 1,  the  field 
E.  arvense  ;  2,  the  swamp's  E.  palustre  ;  3,  the  great  bottle- 
brush  E,  maximum,  and  4,  the  loose-sheathed,  branched 
E.  ramosissimum  of  sandy  places — were  all  retrieved  from 


Appendix 


335 


the  neglect  they  suffer  at  the  hand  of  the  passer-by.  On 
the  Ligurian  httoral  they  strike  a  note  of  reminder — of 
historic  Change,  unending,  still  evolving  in  the  vegetable 
world,  its  Alphas,  its  Deltas,  ay !  and  the  rest,  through  the 
letters  that  are  as  eons  in  Evolution,  though  not,  it  must 
be  added,  down  to  any  Omega  of  the  present  day. 


Aloes  in  flower  on  a  Ligurian  wayside 


ff 


INDEX 


AcciAciOLi  and  Poggio's  His- 

toricB  fiorentince ,  46 
Acqui,  8 
Acri,  221 

Adelagia,  wife  of  Ottone  II,  268 

Adelasia,  daughter  of  the  Em- 
peror Ottone  I,  159 

Adorno,  Antoniotto,  250 

Adorno,  Raffaelo,  250 

^mihus,  Paulus,  124 

Alassio,  28,  n}  ;  141,  142,  143 

Albaro,  suburb  of  Genoa,  233, 
234  238 

Albenga,  8,  118,  119,  121-143, 
144 

Alberto,  Carlo,  58 

Albissola,  202,  206,  n} 

  Marina,  205 

  Superiore,  205 

Alemagna,  Corrado  di.  Artist- 
priest  of  Taggia,  24,  78 

Aleramus,  142,  158,  160 

Aleric,  King  of  the  Visigoths, 
125 

Alexander  III,  Pope,  141 
Amalfians,  215 

Ambroni  or  Ambri,  the  ancient 
Ligurians,  4 

Amedeo,  Vittorio,  60 

 ,  Ottone,  60 

Amoretti,  Maria  Pellegrina, 
of  the  University  of 
Pavia,  102 

■  ,  Father  Antonio  Maria, 

biographer,  102 

 ,  Gaetano,  architect,  102 

Andrada,  Commendatore  Al- 
fredo d',  184,  192 

Ansaldo,  Consul  of  Genoa,  105 

Anselmo  De  Fornarigs,  worker 
in  wood,  202,  203,  and  n} 

Antioch,  221 


Antola,  Monte,  256 
Antonino's  itinerary,  99 
Apennines,  265,  297 
Apricale,  17,  29 
Aque,  Fra  Giacomo  d',  176 
Aquila,    Torrent,     151,    n}  i 

valley  of  the,  160 
Aquileia,  8 

Ardoino,  ancestor  of  the  Do- 

rias,  104 
Arene  Candide,  Caverna  delle,. 

150-154 
Argentina  valley,  72-97 
Ariani,  The,  140 
Arma,  74  and  n},  75,  88 
Arroscia,  river  and  valley,  72, 

112,  115,  117,  119,  130  and 

n}- 

Ascalon,  221 

Assereto,  Biagio,  fifteenth- 
century  admiral,  260,  261 

Ataulf,  King  of  the  Visigoths,, 
126 

Augustus'  definition  of  Liguria„ 
3 

Augustus,  Caesar,  99 
Aulla,  301,  302 
Aullella  torrent,  301 
Austrian  domination  in  Ligu- 
ria,  156 

Bacelega,  118 
Badalucco,  94 
Bagnone  torrent,  301 
Bajardo,  21,  24-29  ;  28, 
Balbi.  Paolo,  228, 
Balestrino,  151 

Ballario,  Luca,  of  Porto  Mau- 
rizio,  friend  of  the  Dorias, 
107,  108 

Barassone  torrent,  147 

Barbaira,  Ponte,  19 


22 — (2230) 


337 


338 


Index 


Bargonasco,    Societa  Ligure 

Ramifera,  293 
Bargone  torrent,  293 
Barrili,  Anton  Giulio,  Italian 

writer,    158,   n.^  ;  quoted, 

159,  160 
Bartholommeo,  Fra,  47 
Bastia,  near  Albenga,  118 
Battivilla,  Commander  of  the 

Republic  of  Genoa,  20 
Beirut,  221 

Benedict  XIII,  Pope,  77 
Benedictines,  141,  192,  278 
Bensa,  Professor,  authority  on 

Liguria,  151,  n.^ 
Benso,  Giulio,  Italian  artist, 

117 

Berardi,     Carlo  Sebastiano, 

ecclesiastical  writer,  102 
Bergeggi,  Isle  of,  191,  192 
— .  Grotto  di.  191,  192,  193 
Berigo  district,  San  Remo,  52, 
53 

Berlin,  trade  with  Riviera  in 

flowers,  43,  44 
Bernardo  valley,  48 
Bernini,   Lorenzo,  Florentine 

architect,  156,  w.^ 
Berta,  Capo,  265 
Bertolotti,     Davide,  Viaggio 

nella     Liguria  Mavittima 

quoted,  244,  245,  255 
Beuland,  Arduino  di,  231 
Biancheri,  Andrea,  of  Vent- 

imiglia,  86 
Bianco,  Bartholomeo,  Genoese 

architect,  227,  n},  228,  w.i 
Bicknell,  Clarence,  scientist  of 

Bordighera,  40-43,  319,  320, 

322,  324,  325,  326,  332,  333 
Bisagno  valley,  72,  242,  243 
Bisone,  Giovanni,  22 
Black  Sea,  Genoese  colonies  in 

the,  219 
Bobbio,    monastery    of  San 

Colombano,  247 
Boccaccio,  73,  74,  304 
Boccanegra,   Guglielmo,  218, 
220 


Boccanegra,  Marino,  Genoese 
architect,  227,  n} 

 ,  Simone,  220 

Bogliasco,  206,  n}.  260 
Bogo  torrent,  Rapallo,  283 
Bollene,  La,  28, 
Bona,  215 
Bonda  torrent,  25 
Bonfadio,    Genoese  annalist, 
251 

Bordighera,  35-42,  44,  82,  86 
Borea,    Palazzo,    San  Remo, 

51,  59,  60 
Borghetto  di  Ranzo,  118 
Borghetto  San  Spirito,  146 
Borgio,  150,  165 
Borgio-Verezzi,  151,  n} 
Borgotaro,  293,  294,  299,  300 
Bormida  torrent,  167,  168 
Bormida  valley,  122.  167 
Borsonasco  mountain,  288 
Botany  of  Liguria,  319-335 
Boucicault,  Marshal,  Governor 

of  Genoa,  218 
Brandale  tower,  Savona,  194 
Brazil,  198 

Brea,  Ludovic,  artist-priest  of 
Nice,  24,  33,  78,  80,  203 

Bresca,  Captain,  and  Pope 
Sixtus  V,  36-38 

Brignole-Sale,  Marchese  Maria, 
227,  w.i 

British   trade    with  Savona, 

200,  201 
Brookfield,  Frances  M.,  article 

on  George  Macdonald,  4 1 ,  w.^ 
Bruno,  Fra  Giordano,  190 
Buggio,  21 

Bunicchi,  Antonio,  Ambrogio 
and    Cristoforo,  Milanese 
architects,  78 
Bussana  Nuova,  64-67 

  Vecchia,  27,  28,  n>  ;  49, 

62-71 

Byron,  Lord,  291,  n},  303, 
305 

Byzantine  epoch  in  Liguria,  8 
Byzantine    madonna,  Santa 
Margherita.  281 


Index 


339 


Cabes,  215 

Cadamosto,  Alvise,  Venetian 

navigator,  191 
Caesarea,  221,  222 
Caffero,  99 

Caldera,  Simone,  goldsmith, 
221 

Caiice  valley,  160 
Calizzano,  165,  167,  168,  169, 
170 

Caloso,  Castle  of,  290 
Calvi  di  Corsica,  206,  n} 
Cambiaso,  Italian  artist,  117 
Camogli,  260,  261-264 
Camporosso,  14 
Canaries,  Discovery  of  the,  261 
Cano,  Giovanni  Sebastiano  del, 

Portuguese  navigator,  199 
Cantoni,  Gaetano,  Lombardian 

architect,  117 
Capolungo,  suburb  of  Nervi, 

259 

Capo  di  Monte,  Monastery  of, 
266,  267 

 ,  267,  268 

Capo   San   Ampeglio,  Bordi- 

ghera,  40 
Capra  torrent,  301 
Caprazoppa  promontory,  Fi- 

nalmarina,  151,  156,  174 
Carasco,  288 
Carlone,  Taddeo,  225 
Carpasina  torrent,  94 
Carradi,    Genoese  architect, 

227,  w.i,  228,  w.i 
Carrega,  253 

Carthage,  Destruction  of,  8, 
43,  122 

Carthaginians,  their  occupa- 
tion of  Liguria,  5,  6,  122,  177 

Carthaginian  War,  The  Second, 
122 

Carthusians,  278 

Casa  Magni,  Shelley's  house  at 
San  Terenzo,  308-318 

Cassini,Gian  Domenico,  astron- 
omer, 31,  32 

Castelfranco,  Fort  of.  Final- 
marina,  156,  165 


Castel    Gavone,  Finalborgo, 

157-165 
Castel  Gavone,   Anton  Giulio 

Barrili's  romance,  158-163 
Castel  Vittorio,  20,  21,  24,  25 
Castellamare,  200 
Castelnuovo  di  Scrivia,  202, 

219 

Castellaro,  87-93 

Castello,    Bernardo,  Genoese 

architect,  227,  n.^ 
Castelvecchio,  100 
Castiglione  Chiavarese,  294 
Castles  of  Liguria,  9 
Cavern  country,  Finalmarina 

district,  149 
Celle  Ligure,  201 
Cellini,  Benvenuto,  231 
Celtic  races  and  Liguria,  5 
Celto-ligurian  cemetery,  150 
Centa,  river,   119,   121,  126, 

129,  130,  139 
Cento-croci,  Colle  di,  293,  297, 

298 

Ceppo,  Monte,  21 
Ceriale,  145 

Cervara,    Convent    of,  near 

Portofino,  278 
Cervo,  110 

Charlemagne,  crowned  Em- 
peror of  Rome,  9 

Charles  V  of  Spain,  108.  174, 
199,  229,  230,  253 

 VI  of  Spain,  165 

Chartreuse,  La  Grande,  278 

Chateaubriand,  GSnie  du 
Christianisme  quoted,  62 

Chiabrera,  Gabriello,  Savona 
poet,  195 

Chiavari,  206,  n.^.  287,  288, 
289 

Chieusavecchia,  114 
Christian  edifices  in  Liguria, 
9,  13 

Christina,  Maria,  of  Savoy,  60 

Cinque  Terre,  303 

Cistercian  sisters  of  the  Val 

di   Cristo  monastery,  near 

Rapallo,  283 


340 


Index 


Clarisse  Sisters,  Val  di  Cristo 
monastery,  near  Rapallo, 
283 

Claudius,  Appuis,  123,  124 
Claus,  28,  w.i 

Clavesana,  Marquesses  of,  99, 
111 

Clement  VII,  Pope,  173 
Cogoleto,  206  and  n.^ 
Coldirodi,  44-48 
Colla  (now  Coldirodi),  49,  51 
Colombi,  Caverna  dei.  Isle  of 

Palmaria,  305 
Columbus,  194,  195,  196  and 

M.i  ;    197,  201.  206  and  n.\ 

228,  n.^;  260 
Constable,  Thomas,  Edinburgh 

publisher,  84 
Copper  Mines  of  Liguria,  293 
Coral  fishing,  281,  282 
Corniglia,  303,  304 
Cornigliano  Ligure,  207 
Corsica,  216,  219,  266 
Corvo,  Cape,  300 
Cosseria,  206,  n.^ 
Costa,  Genoese  violinist,  228, 

 ,    Giuseppe,  decorations 

in  the  Ventimiglia  Cathe- 
dral, 12 

Costanzius,  Flavins,  Roman 
general,  126,  127,  129 

Credi,  Lorenzo  di,  47,  48 

Crusades,  215 

Cuccaro,  206,  w.^ 

Curio,  Jacopo,  77 

 ,  Monsignor  Gerolamo,  77 

 ,    Roberto,    Lord  High 

Chancellor  of  England,  77 

Cusa,  Nicolaus  de,  author  of 
Opera  prima  edita,  46 

Dalmazzo  di  Tenda,  42 
Dante,  183,  n}  ;    in  Liguria, 

186-189;  248,286-290,291, 

301,  302  and  n},  304  and 

n},  305  and  n.^,  306 
De  Amicis,  Edmondo,  Italian 

author,  86,  102-104 


De  Quincey,  Thomas,  242 

De  Rocchi,  Elia,  inlaid  wood- 
worker, 203 

Deferrari-Galliera,  Duchess, 
227  and  228,  n.  i 

Del  Carretto,  Alfonso  II,  164, 
168,  174 

 ,    Carretto    family,  155, 

159-165,  168 

  II,  Enrico,  159 

 ,  Giorgio,  163,  w.  ^ 

 ,  Giovanni,  164 

 ,  Marquis  Antonio,  159 

 ,  Marquis  Biagio  Galeotto 

158,  160-163  and  n. « 

 -,  Nicolosina,  161 

Dellamotta,  Giorgio,  Genoese 
architect,  22 

Delia,  Girolamo  Basso,  201 

 ,  Giuliano  (Julius  II),  201, 

204 

 ,  Leonardo,  201 

 ,  Palazzo,   Albissola  Su- 

periore,  205 

 ,  Palazzo,  Savona,  202 

 ,  Rafaele,  201 

 ,  Rovere  family,  201 

 Rovere,  Francesco  (Sixtus 

IV),  201 

 Torre,  Fihppo,  220 

Del  Sarto,  Andrea,  47 

 Vaga,  Pierin,  artist,  79 

Descalzi,  Canon  Luigi,  quoted, 

182  and  i 
Diano  Castello,  28,  w.  110, 

112 

 Marina,    27,    n.'^,  110, 

112,  265 

Dickens,  Charles,  233-239, 
257,  261,  263 

Diocletian,  Roman  Emperor, 
178,  179 

Divina  Commedia,  La,  186  and 
n},  187  and  n.  i,  188,  189  and 
n.  1,  248  and  n.  \  286,  287 
and  In.  i,  288  and  n.  ^,  290, 
302,  "w.  1,  304,  n.  \  305  and 
n.  \  306 

Dolceacqua,  15-19 


Index 


341 


Dolci,  Carlo,  47 

Domenico,  Piola,  117 

Domitian,  147,  n.^ 

Doria,  Andrea,    10,    18,  104, 

107-110,  223-231,  253, 

268,  269,  270 
 ,  Baliano  or  Babilano,  75, 

105 

 ,  Branca,  186,  w.  ^ 

 ,  Caracossa,   18,  107 

 ,  Ceva,  of  Oneglia,  18,  107 

 ,  Corrado,  216 

— ,  Davide,  108 

 ,  Egidio,  268 

 ,  Enrichetto,  17 

  family,  16,  19,  251,  253, 

268,  269,  270 
— ,  Federico,  105,  106,  107 

 ,  Filippo,  224 

 ,  Giannettino,   224,  252, 

253 

 ,  Gian  Andrea,  225 

 ,  Gian  Domenico,  106,  108 

 ,  Giovanni  Andrea,  253 

— : — ,  Giovanni  Andrea  I,  224 

 ,  Imperiale,  18 

 ,  Martino,  223 

 ,  Nicolo,  105,  106.  107 

 ,  Oberto,  17,  19,  49,  105 

 ,  Pietro,  17,  105 

 ,  Stefano,  18 

 ,  village  near  Genoa,  243 

Dowden,    Professor,    Life  of 

Shelley  quoted,  309 
Dragutte,  King  of  the  Sara- 
cens, 283 


Earthquake  of  February, 
1887,  27  and  n.^  ;  63-71, 
111 

Emanuel,  Charles,  of  Sardinia, 
60 

Embriaco,  Guglielmo,  222 
England,  trade  with  Savona, 

200,  201 
Entella,  river,  between  Sestri 

and  Chiaveri,  286,  287,  288, 

291 


Epanteri,  Ligurian  tribe,  123 
Etruscans,  their  occupation  of 

Liguria,  5,  76 
Evelio's  Johannis  Hevelli,  Se- 

lonographia  sine  lunae  des- 

criptio,  32 

Farini,  Pellegrino,  45,  46 
Farnese,   Elizabetta,   wife  of 

Philip  V  of  Spain,  60,  300 
Fascia,  Monte,  250 
Fate,  Caverna  delle,  151,  w.  ^ 
Felis  antiqua,  extinct  animal, 

remains  found  near  Toirano, 

150 

Fieschi,  Alagia,  249,  302,  n.  ^ 

 ,  Antonio,  250 

 ,  Carlo,  250 

  family,   249,   251,  253, 

254,287,288,  289,  291, 

294  299 
 ,  Gian'  Luigi,  224,  251, 

252,  291 

 ,  Giorgio,  Bishop  of  Al- 

benga  and  Cardinal,  132 

 -,  Giovanni,  250 

 ,  Luca,    Bishop    of  Al- 

benga,  128,  131 
 -,  Nicolo,    Count  of  La- 

vagna,  249 
 ,  Ottobuono  (Adrian  V), 

249,  287,  290 
 ,  Sinibaldo,    Bishop  of 

Albenga  (Innocent 

IV),  132 
Fieschis,  10,  132,  224 
Filelfo,   Mario,   Italian  chro- 
nicler, 162,  186,  n.^ 
Fmalborgo,  156,  161,  162,  164, 
165 

Finalmarina,  74,  n.  ^,  145,  149, 
150-165,  170 

Finalpia,  156,  173 

Finaro,  Ancient  district  and 
Marquisate  of,  156, 
157,  158,  159,  161,  164, 
165,  173 

  valley,  166 


342 


Index 


Fiumara    di    Taggia,  lower 

reaches   of   the  Argentina 

valley,  98 
Florence,  186,  187,  n^,  302 
Foce  torrent,  48 
Fontan,  Chapel  of  N.S.  del, 

Pigna,  22 
Fontana,    Domenico,  Italian 

architect,  36,  37 
Fontanalba,  Rock  drawings  of, 

42,  43 
Fornaci,  193 
Forte  Centrale,  166,  167 
Francis  I,  of  France,  76,  108, 

278 

Frassineto,  destruction  by  the 
Saracens,  100,  1 14 

Fregoso,  Palazzo,  229 

 ,  Pietro,  Genoese  com- 
mander, 161,  162 

Fresia,  Canon,  of  Pieve  di  Teco, 
68 

Froissart,  on  the  Genoese,  211 
Fucci,  Vanni,  248 

Gallinaria,  Isle  of,  122,  139, 
140,  141,  166 

Gambatesa,  293 

Garassini,  Tommasso  and  Vin- 
cenzo,  Savonese  workers  in 
inlaid  wood,  203  and  n.  ^ 

Garbagna,  253 

Gardner,  Edmund,  G;  on 
Dante,  187 

Garibaldi,  46,  60,  146,  228,  n.  ^ ; 
257,  258 

Gazzelli,  Nicolo,  poet  and 
jurisconsult,  100 

Genoa,  Cathedral  of  San  Lo- 
renzo, 4  ;  Grecian  occupa- 
tion of,  5  ;  Ligurians  of,  7  ; 
rebuilt  by  the  Normans,  8  ; 
connected  with  Piacenza  by 
the  Via  Postumia,  8  ;  agita- 
tion in,  64  ;  Commune  of,  10; 
Renaissance  period  in,  10  ; 
Guelfs  and  Ghibellines,  10, 
217;  strife  with  Ventimiglia, 
11  ;  Bajardo's  allegiance  to. 


Genoa — contd. 

27  ;  earthquake  casualties  in 
province  of,  1887,  28,  w.  ^  ; 
Bordighera  under  protec- 
tion of,  39  ;  and  San  Remo, 
49,  51,  59;  Taggia  rebels 
against,  75  ;  Triora  and,  96  ; 
war  with  Pisa,  99  ;  with  the 
King  of  Sardinia,  99  ;  de- 
clares Andrea  Doria  "  Fa- 
ther of  the  Country,"  108 
and  109  ;  expedition  against 
the  Turks,  109  ;  purchases 
Diano  Castello,  111  ;  war 
with  the  Duke  of  Savoy, 
118  ;  destroyed  by  Magone, 
122  ;  geographical  museum, 
151,  M^;  its  conflict  with 
the  Del  Carrettos,  155,  156, 
158,160-165;  purchases  the 
Marquisate  of  Finaro,  165  ; 
obtains  possession  of  Ca- 
lizzano,  168  ;  Dante  on  the 
Genoese,  186,  n.'^  \  Savona 
under  the  domination  of, 
194  ;  alleged  birthplace  of 
Columbus,  196,  w.  ^  ;  the 
Lanterna,  206  and  n.  ^  ;  San 
Pietro  a  Banchi,  210;  old 
Stock  Exchange,  210  ;  the 
port,  212  ;  Froissart' s  esti- 
mate of  the  Genoese,  211  ; 
war  oh  Norman  and  Saracen 
pirates,  213-216  ;  sacked  by 
the  Saracens,  214  ;  es- 
tablishment of  the  Banco 
di  San  Giorgio,  217-220  ; 
San  Siro,  220  ;  her  colonial 
expansion  and  trade  with 
the  East,  221;  ashes  of  John 
the  Baptist  brought  from 
the  East,  221  ;  Cathedral 
of  San  Lorenzo,  221-223; 
Church  of  San  Matteo,  223  ; 
Palazzo  Ducale,  225,  226; 
Revolution  of  1797,  225  ; 
Palazzo  Doria-Pamphily, 
226-231  ;  principal  palaces 
in,    227,    n.  ^  ;  Dickens's 


Index 


343 


Genoa — contd. 

description  of,  231-239  ;  new 
Stock  Exchange  and  Via 
XX  Settembre,  235  ;  Pa- 
lazzo Peschiere,  Dickens's 
residence  in,  236 ;  conspi- 
racy to  overthrow  the  Do- 
rias,  252  ;  conflict  between 
the  Counts  of  Lavagna  and 
the  Commune  of,  290,  291  ; 
Portovenere,  "  Colonia  Ja- 
nuensium,"  304;  Castle  of 
Lerici  and,  306,  307 

Gibbon,  125 

Gioberti,  45,  46 

Gingo,  Monte,  258 

Giustiniani,  99  ;   125,  194, 

Glasgow,  200 

Gorra,  165,  171 

Gota,  Gola  di,  21 

Grai,  Monte,  21 

Grassi,  Orazio,  Savonese  ar- 
chitect, 202 

Graveglia  torrent,  288 

Greece,  her  relations  with  Li- 
guria,  3,  5 

Gregory  XI,  Pope,  278 

Grimaldi,  Girolamo,  Bishop  of 
Albenga  and  Cardinal,  132 

Grimaldi,  Nicolo,  227,  n.  ^ 

Grimaldis,  10,  132 

Gromolo  torrent,  291 

Grondona,  253 

Guadalquiver,  197 

Guelfs  and  GhibeUines,  17,  19, 
20,  106,  248,  249,  250,  251 

Guercino,  228,  n} 

Guidobono,  205 

Guillaume  of  France,  Count, 
158 

Hammamet,  Gulf  of,  215 

Hannibal,  122 

Henry  IV  of  France,  275 

Hartman,  Antonio,  his  frescoes 
in  the  Ventimiglia  Cathe- 
dral, 12 

Herculeus,  Maximinus,  Roman 
Emperor,  178,  179 


Heyse,   Paul,    German  poet, 

291,  w.i 
Holbein.  228,  n.  i 
Honorius,    Roman  Emperor, 

126 

Ighina,  Monsignor  Andrea,  169 

Impero  valley,  72,  1 10,  1 12,  1 13 

Incisa,  Rio,  21 

Ingauni,  tribe  of  Ligurians, 
122,  125 

Innocent  III,  Pope,  108 

Innocent  IV,  290 

Issel's  Liguria  Geologica  e 
preistorica  quoted,  6,  n.'^, 
130,  w.  1 

Issel,  Professor  A.,  151,  n.  ^ 

Isola,  The,  Sestri  Levante, 
291,  292 

Isolabona,  17,  19,  20 

Isosecco,  near  Pedemonte,  dis- 
covery of  a  bronze  plate  at, 
6.  7 

Italian  nationalist  party  in 
feudal  times,  9 

Jaffa,  221 

Janus,  King  of  the  Aborigines, 
alleged  founder  of  Genoa,  4 
Julius  II,  Pope,  201,  202,  203, 
204 

  Ill,  268 

Jerusalem,  221 

Karr,  Alphonse,  Promenades 
hors  de  mon  jar  din  cited,  233 
Khania,  Battle  of.  17 

Lace-making  at  Portofino, 
273,  275,  276,  277;  at 
Santa  Margherita,  275,  281 

Dago  Verde,  43 

Dagopigo^  Ponte  di,  at  Pigna, 
20 

Dampedusa,  Sanctuary  of,  near 

Taggia,  88-94,  148 
Langan,  The  port  of  Rapallo, 

282 

Langasco,  Digurians  of,  7 


344  Index 


Laodicea,  221 
L'Art  de  Men  muorir,  46 
Lavagna,  River  (the  Entella), 
287 

 ,  town,  288,  289,  291 

 ,  Counts  of,  290 

Lees,  Dr.  F.  Arnold,  F.L.S.,  319 

Leira  torrent,  206 

Leo    X,    Bull    "  Pastoralis 

officii,"  148 
Lercari,  Cardinal  Nicolo  Maria, 
77 

 ,  Palazzo,  Faggia,  81 

Lerici,  305,  306,  307 
Lerone  torrent,  119,  129 
Ligui,  the  ancient  Ligurians,  3 
Ligures,  the  ancient  Ligurians, 
3,  195 

Liguria,    Isola    di    (Isle  of 

Bergeggi),  191 
Livy,  on  the  Ligurians^  6,  122, 

123 
Loano,  146 

London,  Archives  of,  206 
  trade    with    Riviera  in 

flowers,  43,  44 
Lubea,  grotto  near  Toirano, 

150 

Lucan's  reference  to  the  Roja, 
11 

Lucca,  187,  n.  ^,  306 
Luni,  Destruction  of,  213 
Lurago,  Rocco,  Genoese  archi- 
tect, 228,  n.  1 
Lybia,  196 

Macari,  Emmanuele,  Domi- 
nican Father  and  artist,  23, 
78,  80 

Macdonald,    George,  author, 

41  and  n.  ^ 
Machiavelli,  Istorie  Florentine, 

218 

Madalberto,  Abbot  of  the 
Monastery  of  Capo  di  Monte, 
268 

Madonna  di  Misericordia, 
sanctuary  near  Savona,  203, 
n.  ^ 


Magellan,  Ferdinando,  Portu- 
guese navigator,  197,  198, 
199 

Magone,  brother  of  Hannibal, 
122 

Magra,  river  and  valley,  72, 

248,  293,  300,  301 
Malaspina,  Alberto  (II  Moro), 
248 

 ,  Guglielmo,  249 

 ,  Moroello,  248,  249,  287, 

288,  302,  n.  i 
Malaspinas,  247,  249,  301,  302, 

306 

Malmistra,  221 
Manarola,  303 
Manerola,  Teodora,  201 
Mantegazza,    Italian  writer, 

308,  n.^ 
Mantegna,  Andrea,  205 
Manzoni,  Alessandro,  46 
Maragliano,  wood-carver,  231, 

280 

Maraldi,  Giacomo  Filippo,  as- 
tronomer, 31,  32 

 ,  Gian  Domenico,  as- 
tronomer, 31,  32 

Marchese,  Bishop  of  Albenga, 
128 

Marcus  AureHus,  147,  n.  ^ 
Maro,  110 

Marseilles,  her  commercial 
power  in  the  Mediterranean, 
8 

Martin  V,  Pope,  131 

Martino,  Caverna  di,  151,  ^ 

Masone  d'Alessandrio,  Gio- 
vanni, artist,  204 

Matan,  Isle  of,  199 

Matuta,  goddess  of  the  sea, 
ancient  name  of  San  Remo, 
49,  55 

Mazzi,  Cosimo  Vetturi,  author 

of  Istories  fiorentines,  46 
Mazzini,  Giuseppe,  83,  194,  228, 

Medici,  Guiho  de'.  Bishop  of 
Albenga  and  Pope  Clement 
VII,  132 


Index 


345 


Medici,  Maria  de',  275 
Mehdia,  Peninsula,  215 
Mella,   Count   Edouardo  Ar- 

borio,  restorer  of  the  Venti- 

miglia  Cathedral,  12 
Melogno,  Colle  di,   165,  166, 
167,  171 

 ,  Osteria  di,  171 

Mentone,  28,  n.  ^ 

Michael  Angelo,  224,  228,  n.  i 

Middle  Ages,  Evidences  of,  in 

Liguria,  9 
Milan,     occupation    by  the 
Lombards,  9 

 ,  206,  n.  1 

Millesimo,  162 

Mirrea,  Asia  Minor,  221 

Missano,  294 

Modena,  206,  n.  i 

Mogehid,  Saracen  leader,  214, 

215 

Molinari,    Giovanni  Battista, 

sculptor,  203 
Molini,  195 
Molosso,  artist,  79 
Molucca  Isles,  discovered,  199 
Monleone,  Luchina,  201 
Montallegro   Sanctuary,  near 

Rapallo.  283,  284 
Montalto  Ligure,  94 
Monte  Fronte,  96 
Monterosso  al  Mare,  303 
Montesordo,  151,  w.  ^ 
Monte  Santa  Maria,  43 
Montferrato,    Marquisses  of, 

159 

Montorsoli,  pupil  of  Michael 

Angelo,  224,  229,  231 
Morelh,  Don  N.,  151,  w.i 
Moro,  Monte,  258 
Mulazzo,  301,  302 
Muratone  valley,  21 
Muzio,  118 

Naples,  Charles,  King  of,  105, 
108 

Napoleon  I,  sojourn  at  Peri- 

naldo,  32,  222 
Nero,  147,  m.  ^ 


Nervia  vaJley,  1,  14,  16,  19,  20, 
72 

Nervi,41,  w.  1 ;  206,  n.  i  ;  258, 

259,  260 
Neva  valley,  130,  n.^ 
Nicoloso  da  Recco,  navigator, 

261 

NoU,  28,  n.  1  ;   174,  176-191 

 ,  Antonio  da,  Italian  na- 
vigator, 190,  191,  196 

— — ,  Bartholomeo  da,  navi- 
gator, 190 

 ,  Capo,  174 

i   ,  Ralfaele  da,  navigator, 

190 

Novara,  206,  n.  ^ 

Olive  growing,  100,  n.^  ;  113 

Olivetta  valley,  21 

Oliviero,  builder  of  the  Banco 

di  San  Giorgio,  218 
Ombri,  the  ancient  Ligurians, 

4 

Oneglia,  27,  w.  ^ ;     98,  100- 

110  ;  206,  M.i 
Oria,  ancestress  of  the  Dorias, 

104 

Oriola,  Genoese  captain,  253 

Orsaro,  Monte,  300 

Orsini,  Monte,  at  Noli,  176, 

177,  184 
Ortovero,  118 

Ospedaletti,  35,  41,  43,  44,  86 
"  Otto  Luoghi,"   small  Ligu- 

rian  Republic,  39 
Ottone  I,  Emperor,  142,  159 
 II,  Emperor,  247,  268 

Pagana,  279 

Paganini,  his  violin  and  bow 

at  Genoa,  228,  n.  ^ 
Palmaria,  Isle  of,  304,  305 
Pancaldo,    Leone,  navigator, 

196-200 
  tower,     Savona,  194, 

195 

Panizzi,  Dr.,   of  San  Remo, 

52  and  53 
Paraggi,  278 


346 


Index 


Paragorio,    the  soldier-saint, 

178-181 
Paremola  torrent,  150 
Paris,  194 
Parma,  297 

Partenopio,  the  soldier-saint, 
178-181 

Parteo,  the  soldier-saint,  178- 
181 

Patagonia,  198 
Patras,  109 

Pavia.  Battle  of,  76,  278 

Pellegrino,  seventeenth  cen- 
tury Italian  writer,  114,  115 

Pellico,  Silvio,  45 

Pelodytes  punctatus,  rare  ba- 
tracia  found  at  Toirano,  150 

Perinaldo,  17.  29,  31,  32 

Perino  del  Vaga,  229 

Perti,  Caverna  della  Rocca  di, 
151,  w.i 

  district,    above  Final- 

borgo,  151,  w.  ^ 

 ,  Rocca  di,  159 

Pertinax,  Roman  Emperor, 
125,  137,  193 

Perugino,  80 

Petronia  torrent,  293 

Philippines,  Discovery  of  the, 
199 

Philip    of    Austria,    son  of 

Charles  II,  199 
Philip  V  of  Spain,  60,  300 
Phoenicians,  their  relations 

with  Liguria,  5 
Pia,  Castle  of,  174 
Piacenza,  8,  255 
Piccinino,  Nicolo,  celebrated 

condottiere,  251,  294 
Pico,  Giacomo,  158,  162 
Pietra  Ligure,  150 
Pieve  di  Sori,  260 

 di  Teco,  110,  112,  115-117 

Pigafetta,  Antonio,  chronicler, 

197.  198 
Pigna.  19,  20-24.  25 
Pignone,  Lucangelo,  of  Bor- 

dighera,  86,  87 
Piola,  artist.  80 


Pira,  Giuseppe  Maria.  Italian 

historian,  107 
Pisa,  8,  27.  215,  216.  268.  306, 

307 

Pistoja.  187,  w.i.  248 
Piuma,  Villa,  291,      i.  292 
PizzareUi.  Italian  historian.  181 
Plata.  Rio  de  la,  200 
Pliny,  on  the  Ingauni,  124 
Pliny  the  Elder's  reference  to 

the  Roja,  11 
Plutarch.  46 

Podesta,  Monsignore  Vincenzo, 

of  Sestri  Levante,  291,  n.^ 
Po,  Hannibal's  invasion  of  the 

valley  of  the,  122 
Pollera,  Caverna  di,  150,  n.  ^  ; 

152,  153 
Polybius,  on  relations  between 

the  Ligurians  and  Cartha- 

genians,  6 
Ponci,  Rio  de,  151,  m,  ^ 
Pontedassio,  114 
Ponte  Lungo.  Roman  bridge  at 
Albenga,  129,  130,  144 

  Vara.  Cavern  of,  150 

Pontremoh,  301 

Ponzelli,   Giovanni   and  Do- 

menico,  Genoese  architects, 

227.  n.  1 
Porra  river.  159 
Portofino,  41.  w.  ^ ;    105.  271, 

272  and  278,  292 
Portofino.  Monte.  260, 264, 265, 
266 

 ,  Peninsula  of.  259.  260, 

263,  264,  265,  268,  270,  272, 

273,  274,  285,  292 
Porto  Maurizio,  28.  n.  ^ ;  98. 

99  and  100.  107 
Portoro,    black    and  yellow 

marble  of  Portovenere.  304 
Portovenere,  304.  305.  306 
Partus  veneris  (Portovenere), 

304 

Postumius,  Aullus,  124 
Pradello,  206,  n.  i 
Prato,  near  Genoa,  243 
Prela,  110 


Index 


347 


Proculus,  Titus  Elius,  Roman 
Emperor,  125,  m.  ^  ;  137 

Quarto  al  Mare,  257 

Quiliano  torrent,  191 

Quinto  al  Mare,  206,  n.  i,  258 

Raimondi,  Rosa,  mother  of 
Garibaldi,  146 

Rambaldi,  Stefano  Paolo,  ec- 
clesiast,  45-48 

Ramoino,  Paolo,  fifteenth  cen- 
tury Italian  writer,  114 

Ranavesio,  Giovanni,  of  Pi- 
nerolo,  artist,  22,  23 

Rapallo,  187,  265,  274,  275, 
279,  280,  282-285,  286,  290, 
292 

Recco,  260,  261 

Reni,  Guido,  47,  48,  205,  227, 

w.i;   228,  n.^ 
Rialto,  161 
Riario,  Girolamo,  201 

 ,  Pier,  201 

Riomaggiore,  303,  304 
Rio,  Caverna  del,  151,  m.  ^ 
Riva  Ligure,  98 
Riviera  di  Levante,  205,  257 
RivoH,  Rue  de,  Paris,  193 
Rocchetta  Nervina,  19 
Roccatagliata,    Genoese  an- 

nahst,  253 
Rock  drawings  of  Liguria,  4, 

42,  43 

Rodi,  Cavaheri  di,  the  Knights 

of  Malta,  43 
Rodolfo,  King  of  Burgundy, 

268 

Roja,  river,  11 

Romans,  their  subjugation  of 
the  Ligurians,  6,  7,  8 ;  148,  n^; 
evidences  of  their  presence  in 
Liguria,  8,  9,  75  ;  conquest 
of  the  Ingauni  and  founda- 
tion of  Albenga,  121-130; 
at  Noh,  177,  178,  184  ;  on 
the  Isle  of  Bergeggi,  191, 
192  ;  at  Torriglia.  245,  247  ; 
at  Rapallo,  283 


Rome,  Emperor  of,  9 
Rosa,  Salvator,  47,  48 
Rossi,  Professor,  author,  49 
Rothari,   King  of  the  Lom- 
bards, 49,  184 
Rubens,  228,  ^ 
Ruffini,  Agostino,  83,  84 
 ,   Giovanni,    Itahan  au- 
thor, 36,  38,  46,  82-87  ; 
quoted,  89-92 

 ,  Signora,  85,  86 

Ruota,    Chapel   of  Madonna 

della,  41,  43 
Rutuba,  ancient  name  for  the 

Roja  river,  1 1 
Ruysdael,  228,  w.  ^ 

Saiada,  Franchinus,  artist- 
priest,  119 

Saint  Augustine,  295 

San  Bernardo,  Chapel  of, 
Pigna,  22 

San  Biagio  della  Cima,  33 

San  Calocero,  Bishop  of  Milan,. 
140 

San  Donato,  Capo  di,  Final- 
marina,  174 

San  Filippo  Neri,  nuns  of  the 
order  of,  Varese  Ligure, 
295-297 

San  Fruttuoso,  105,  266,  267- 
270,  292 

Sangallo,  202 

San  Giacomo,  160 

San  Giacomo,  Monte,  289 

San  Giorgio,  Banco  di,  Genoa, 
210,  217-220,  307 

San  Giovanni,  Fort  of,  Final- 
borgo,  157,  165 

Sanguineto,  Caverna  del,  151, 

San  Lazzaro  (the  Philippines),. 
199 

San  Lorenzo  al  Mare,  98 
San    Lorenzo,    Cathedral  of, 
Genoa,  inscription  relating 
to  the  foundation  of  the  city, 
4,  221-223 
San  Lucar,  198 


348 


Index 


San  Martino  d'Albero,  257 
San  Matteo,  Church  of,  Genoa, 
223 

San  Nicolo  da  Bari,  Church  of, 

at  Bajardo,  28 
San  Pantaleo,  Chapel  of,  in 

Arroscia  valley,  118 
San  Paragorio,  Church  of.  Noli, 

177,  181,  182  and  n.\  183, 

184.  192 
San    Paragorio,    the  soldier- 
saint,  178-181 
San  Pier  d'Arena,  207 
San  Remo,  17,  28   and  n.^  ; 

35,  44,  48-61,  76,  82 
San  Romolo,  49,  50 
San  Salvatore,  Gothic  basilica, 

289,  290 
San  Sebastiano,  Chapel  of,  near 

Castel  Vittorio,  25 
San  Secondo,  patron  saint  of 

Ventimiglia,  12 
San  Siro,  Genoa,  9 
San  Siro,  San  Remo,  51 
Sansone,  Raffaele  Riario,  201 
San  Spirito,  fortifications,  146 
San  Stefano  al  Mare,  98 
San  Terenzo,  307-318 
Sant'   Andrea,   Convent  and 

hill  of,  Genoa,  9 
Sant'Anna,  near  Rapallo,  283 
Sant'  Eugenio,  192 
Santa  Lucia,    sanctuary  and 

grotto  of,  Toirano,  147-149 
Santa  Margherita  Ligure,  265, 

275,  278,  279,  280,  285 
Santa  Maria  della  Misericordia, 

Convent  of,  Taggia,  24 
Santa  Tecla,  Fort  of,  San  Remo 

60 

Santa  Zita,  187,  n.  ^ 
Saracens,  9.  49,  56,  74,  75,  100, 

114,  142,  185,  213,  214,  215, 

268,  270,  282,  283 
Sardinia,  196,  214 
Sarzana,  219 

Sasso  valley,  Ospedaletti,  41 
Sauli,  Bendinello,  Bishop  of 
Albenga  and  Cardinal,  132 


Savignoni,  Fieschis  of,  291 
Savona,    122,    158    and  n.^, 

191,  193-205  :  206,  n.^ 
 ,  Agostino  da,  navigator, 

197 

 ,  Bishopric  of,  183,  n.  ^ 

 ,  Gianni    da,  navigator, 

197 

■  -,  Marquisses  of,  159,  168 

Savoy,    Emanuele  Filiberto, 

Duke  of,  110 

 ,  House  of,  51 

 ,  Queen  Maria  Christina 

of,  60 

Scetten,  Guido,  Archbishop  of 

Genoa,  278 
Schiller,  253 

Scivra,     Francesco,  Savona 

navigator,  197 
Scoff  era,  Colle  della,  243,  244, 

253 

Scorcetoli,  301 

Scrivia,  valley  and  river,  72, 
241,  243,  244,  247,  249,  250, 
253,  255 

Segno  torrent,  191 

Sempronius,  Marcus,  123 

Serravalle,  248 

Sestri  Levante,  187,  286,  287, 
290,  291-293,  294 

  Ponente,  207 

Settepani,  Monte,  166 
Severino,   the  soldier-saint, 

178-181 
Seville.  197 
Sheba,  Queen  of,  222 
Shelley,  Mary,  308-315 

 ,  P.  B.,  303,  307-318 

Sicily,  200,  214,  258 

Siculus,     Diodorus,  Roman 

writer,    on    the  Ligurians, 

152,  195,  196 
Sinibaldo,  Gian  Luigi  Fieschi, 

di,  251 
Sixtus  IV,  201 

Sixtus  V,  Pope,  and  Captain 

Bresca,  36-38 
Slate  industry  at  Lavagna,  289 
Soldano,  33 


Index 


34^ 


Solino,  221 
Solomon,  222 
Sori,  260 

Spain,  Domination  of,  in  Li- 
guria,  10,  155,  164,  165,  228 

Spanish  triumphal  arch,  Final- 
marina,  156 

Spezzia,  205,  265.  292,  293, 
302,  304 

Spinola,  Oberto,  17 

 ,  Palazzo,  81 

Spinolas.  10,  77 

SS.  Annunziata,  suburb  of 
Pontremoli,  301 

Staglieno,  243 

St.  Ilario,  140,  141 

St.  Lawrence,  222 

St.  Martin,  Bishop  of  Tours, 
140,  148,  w.i 

St.  Martin,  Church  of,  Toirano, 
147.  w.i 

St.  Petersburg,  trade  with 
Riviera  in  flowers,  43,  44 

Strabo,  99 

Sturla,  257 

Sturla,  torrent,  288 

Symonds,  John  Addington.  on 
San  Remo,  55 

Taggia,  49,  73,  75-88 
Taragnina,  Grotto  of.  150 
Taro,  river,  72,  293,  297,  299 
Tebana  Legion,  179,  180 
Temple,  W.  Cowper,  41,  m.  ^ 
Teramo  di  Danielo,  goldsmith 

of  Porto  Maurizio,  221 
Terrarossa,  302 

Teutates  (Mercury),  Deity  of 

the  Celtic  races,  115 
Thousand  of  Marseilles,  The, 

Garibaldi's  expedition,  258 
Tiguhan  Gulf,  284 
Times,    The,   article   on  San 

Remo,  52 
Tino,  Isola  del,  265 
Tintoretto.  227,  n.  \  228,  n.  ^ 
Titian,  228,  n.  ^ 
Toirano,   145,    146,    147  and 

M.i  ,  150 


Toraggio,  Monte,  21 

Torriglia,  241-256,  294 

  Vecchia,  246 

Tortosa,  221 

Trebbia,  249,  250 

Trelawny,  E.  J.,  Recollections 
of  the  Last  Days  of  Shelley 
and  Byron,  quoted,  308,  n. 
309-315 

Tre  Monti,  293 

Trezzo,  Giovanni  di,  162 

Triora,  95-97 

Tripoli,  221 

Triunfus'  Tractatus  super  Ave 

Mariae,  46 
Turner,  264 

Tuscan  archipelago,  266 


Uhagon,  Professor  R.  D.,  his- 
discovery  regarding  Colum- 
bus, 196,  M.  1 

Unfortunate  Isles,  Discovery 
of  the,  199 

Ursus  ligusticus,  extinct  ani- 
mal, remains  found  near 
Toirano,  150 


Vado,  Porto  di,  191,  192,  193 
Valdimagra,  291.  302,  n.  i 
Valle,  La,  torrent,  151,  w.  i 
Vallecrosia  valley,  31,  33 
Vallegrande  ravine,  293 
Vandyke,  227,  n.  i,  228.  n. » ;: 
279 

Van  Ostade.  227.  w.  i 

Vara,  river  and  valley.  72.  294,. 

295,  297 
Varatella  torrent,  145.  147 
Varazze,  206 

Varese  Ligure,  290,  293,  294- 
297 

Varigotti,  174.  175.  176 
Vasto,  Marquis  of,  168 
Velasquez,  47.  48 
Velva.  Colle  di,  293 

  village.  294 

Venice.  216 


350 


Index 


Ventimiglia,  1,  8,  10,  11,  12, 
13,  14,  44,  76,  86,  99,  170, 
219 

Verde.  Cape,  198 

 ,  Islands,    Discovery  of, 

190 

 ,  torrent,  301 

Verezzi,  Caverna  di,  151,  n.^ 
Vernazza,  303 

Veronese,  Paul,  47,   227,  n.  ^, 

228,  n.  1 
Verzi,  Roman  bridge  of,  151, 

n.  ^ 

Via  Aurelia,  8 

Via  Julia  Augusta,  8,  193 

Via  Postumia,  8 

Viareggio,  200 

Victor  III,  Pope,  215 

 ,  Duke  of  Savoy,  50 

Vigerio,  Marco,  201 
Villafranca  in  Lunigiana,  301, 
302 

Villanus,  Magister  Bartholo- 
meus,  20 


Villanova,  119 

Visconti,  Duke  Filippo  Maria, 
251 

"  Volto    Santo,"    crucifix  of 
Noli,  183  and  n.  ^ 

 of  Lucca,  183,  «.  ^ 

Voltri,  206 


Williams,   Dr.   Frederic  N., 
Prodromus  of  the  British  Flora, 
328 

Winter,  Herr,  horticulturist  of 
Bordighera,  40 


Zama,  near  Carthage,  Victory 

of,  122 
Zawila,  215 

Zerbi,  Caverna  dei,  151,  n.^ 
Zirio,  Villa,  San  Remo,  death- 
place  of  Frederick  III  of 
Germany,  54 


THE  END 


Printed  by  Sir  Isaac  Pitman  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  Bath 
N — (2230) 


PON  ZONE 


CUNEO  • 


MONDOVI 


PEVtRAGNO 


BORCO*        .      -   WVILLANOVA 

BOVES  •CHIUSA 


«  BACNA5CO 
PAMPARATO 

CALIZZANO 


(MONESICLIO 


CAIRO 
niLLESI  MO 

SAVON> 


SAVICNQNE 

5A5SELL  O 

PONTEDECIMO 
VOLT  Rlj^^^^PECL 

r-ipi  E  RoT^E 


5  STEFANO  d'avlto 

BEDONIA 


BORGOTARO 


/CERVO 
lANO  MARINA 

ONECLI  ' 

.TAGoiA  ^^PORTO  MAURIZIO 


SCARENA 


BU55AN  A 

'SATN^  REMO 
'bordicmera 


Hon ACQ 


DACNONE 


GULF  or 
GEMOA 


NA55A 


PIET  RA5ANTA 


THE    ITALIAN  RIVIERA. 


\ 


